Retention of nickel, cobalt and chromium in skin at conditions mimicking intense hand hygiene practices using water, soap, and hand-disinfectant in vitro.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased hand hygiene practices using water, soap and hand disinfectants, became prevalent, particularly among frontline workers. This study investigates the impact of these practices on the skin's ability to retain the allergenic metals nickel, cobalt, and chromium. The study constitutes three parts: (I) creating an impaired skin barrier, (II) exposing treated and untreated skin to nickel alone, and (III) in co-exposure with cobalt and chromium.

Water, soap, and hand-disinfectant exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic and self-reported hand eczema in frontline workers: A cross-sectional study.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased hand hygiene practices were implemented. Impaired skin health on the hands among healthcare workers has been reported previously. Knowledge of how worker in other occupations have been affected is scarce.

Cobalt nanoparticles cause allergic contact dermatitis in humans.

Background: Cobalt (Co) causes allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and the emerging use of Co nanoparticles (CoNPs) warrants gaining further insight into its potential to elicit ACD in sensitized individuals.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to clarify to what extent CoNPs may elicit ACD responses in participants with Co contact allergy, and to evaluate whether the nanoparticles cause a distinct immune response compared with cobalt chloride (CoCl2) in the skin reactions.

Methods: Fourteen individuals with Co contact allergy were exposed to CoNPs, CoCl2, a Co-containing hard-metal disc (positive control), and an empty test chamber (negative control) by patch testing.

Gold Nanoparticles Dissolve Extracellularly in the Presence of Human Macrophages.

Introduction: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have the potential to be used in various biomedical applications, partly due to the inertness and stability of gold. Upon intravenous injection, the NPs interact with the mononuclear phagocyte system, first with monocytes in the blood and then with macrophages in tissue. The NP-macrophage interaction will likely affect the stability of the AuNPs, but this is seldom analyzed.

A Case Study of Brass Foundry Workers' Estimated Lead (Pb) Body Burden from Different Exposure Routes.

Objectives: The most pronounced occupational exposure routes for lead (Pb) are inhalation and gastrointestinal uptake mainly through hand-to-mouth behaviour. Skin absorption has been demonstrated for organic Pb compounds, but less is known about inorganic Pb species. Several legislative bodies in Europe are currently proposing lowering biological exposure limit values and air exposure limits due to new evidence on cardiovascular effects at very low blood Pb levels.

A novel approach to monitor skin permeation of metals in vitro.

How metals permeate skin is poorly understood. Risk assessments tend to take default approaches to account for the dermal route, often using numbers of questionable relevance. Moreover, simultaneous exposure to multiple metals may affect the permeation of individual metals.

Macrophage-Assisted Dissolution of Gold Nanoparticles.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are readily functionalized and considered biocompatible making them useful in a wide range of applications. Upon human exposure, AuNPs will to a high extent reside in macrophages, cells that are designed to digest foreign materials. To better understand the fate of AuNPs in the human body, their possible dissolution needs to be explored.

Nickel deposition and penetration into the stratum corneum after short metallic nickel contact: An experimental study.

Background: Knowledge about the skin deposition and penetration of nickel into the stratum corneum (SC) after short contact with metallic items is limited.

Objective: To quantify nickel skin deposition and penetration into the SC after short contact with metallic nickel.

Methods: Sixteen nickel-allergic participants and 10 controls were exposed to 3 pure nickel discs and 1 aluminium disc on each volar forearm for 3 × 10 minutes.

Neglected exposure route: cobalt on skin and its associations with urinary cobalt levels.

Objectives: Cobalt (Co) exposure is associated with adverse health effects including skin sensitisation, asthma and interstitial lung fibrosis. Exposure to Co in industrial settings is often assessed using air samples or biomonitoring in urine. Skin exposure is rarely measured.

Contamination of skin and surfaces by cobalt in the hard metal industry.

Background: It is well known that hard metal workers have historically been affected by contact allergy to cobalt. Knowledge is sparse about occupational skin exposure to cobalt, in terms of skin doses and sources of exposure, which could be used to improve protection of workers.

Objectives: To improve knowledge about skin doses and sources of skin exposure to cobalt within hard metal production, thereby facilitating better protection of workers.

Development, validation and testing of a skin sampling method for assessment of metal exposure.

Background: Nickel, cobalt and chromium are frequent skin sensitizers. Skin exposure results in eczema in sensitized individuals, the risk being related to the skin dose.

Objectives: To develop a self-sampling method for quantification of skin exposure to metals, to validate the method, and to assess its feasibility.

Testing in artificial sweat - Is less more? Comparison of metal release in two different artificial sweat solutions.

Metal release from materials immersed in artificial sweat can function as a measure of potential skin exposure. Several artificial sweat models exist that, to various degree, mimic realistic conditions. Study objective was to evaluate metal release from previously examined and well characterized materials in two different artificial sweat solutions; a comprehensive sweat model intended for use within research, based on the composition of human sweat; and the artificial sweat, EN1811, intended for testing compliance with the nickel restriction in REACH.

Snapshot of cobalt, chromium and nickel exposure in dental technicians.

Background: It is not fully understood where and how people are exposed to sensitizing metals. Much can be learnt from studying occupational settings where metals are handled.

Objectives: To quantify cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) exposure on the skin and in the air, and urine levels, in dental technicians working with tools and alloys that may result in skin and respiratory exposure.

Extracellular cadmium in the bronchoalveolar space of long-term tobacco smokers with and without COPD and its association with inflammation.

Tobacco contains cadmium, and this metal has been attributed a causative role in pulmonary emphysema among smokers, although extracellular cadmium has not to date been quantified in the bronchoalveolar space of tobacco smokers with or without COPD. We determined whether cadmium is enhanced in the bronchoalveolar space of long-term tobacco smokers with or without COPD in vivo, its association with inflammation, and its effect on chemokine release in macrophage-like cells in vitro. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), sputum, and blood samples were collected from current, long-term smokers with and without COPD and from healthy nonsmokers.

Allergy risks with laptop computers - nickel and cobalt release.

Background: Laptop computers may release nickel and cobalt when they come into contact with skin. Few computer brands have been studied.

Objectives: To evaluate nickel and cobalt release from laptop computers belonging to several brands by using spot tests, and to quantify the release from one new computer by using artificial sweat solution.

Elicitation threshold of cobalt chloride: analysis of patch test dose-response studies.

Background: Cobalt is a strong skin sensitizer (grade 5 of 5 in the guinea-pig maximization test) that is used in various industrial and consumer applications. To prevent sensitization to cobalt and elicitation of allergic cobalt dermatitis, information about the elicitation threshold level of cobalt is important.

Objective: To identify the dermatitis elicitation threshold levels in cobalt-allergic individuals.

Short and frequent skin contact with nickel.

Background: The existing EU nickel restriction does not sufficiently protect the population from skin exposure to nickel. Better understanding is needed of the extent to which short and frequent contact with nickel-releasing items contributes to nickel deposition on skin.

Objectives: To quantify nickel skin exposure from short and frequent contact with nickel-releasing materials.

Cobalt skin dose resulting from short and repetitive contact with hard metals.

Background: Many daily contacts with metallic items are short and repetitive, and result in metal release; material, sweat, friction and wear may all be important.

Objectives: To study cobalt release and skin deposition as a result of many short and repetitive contacts with two cobalt-containing materials.

Materials/methods: Study participants (n = 5) handled two types of hard metal disc (Co 6% and Co 15% Cr 0.

The cobalt spot test--further insights into its performance and use.

Background: A spot test was recently developed for easy and rapid testing to detect whether cobalt is available on surfaces in contact with skin.

Objectives: To explore the potential use of the cobalt spot test as a tool for skin dose assessment, and to verify the sensitivity under laboratory conditions.

Methods: A cobalt dilution series (cobalt standards mixed with cobalt spot test reagent solution) was prepared to determine the threshold for colour change.

New UK nickel-plated steel coins constitute an increased allergy and eczema risk.

Background: Nickel-plated steel coins have recently been introduced in the United Kingdom.

Objectives: To compare the performance and allergy risk of the new nickel-plated coins (five and ten pence) with those of the cupro-nickel coins being replaced.

Materials And Methods: Coin handling studies with assessment of skin exposure and metal release in artificial sweat were performed.

Cellular dose of partly soluble Cu particle aerosols at the air-liquid interface using an in vitro lung cell exposure system.

Background: There is currently a need to develop and test in vitro systems for predicting the toxicity of nanoparticles. One challenge is to determine the actual cellular dose of nanoparticles after exposure.

Methods: In this study, human epithelial lung cells (A549) were exposed to airborne Cu particles at the air-liquid interface (ALI).

Characterisation of nano- and micron-sized airborne and collected subway particles, a multi-analytical approach.

Continuous daily measurements of airborne particles were conducted during specific periods at an underground platform within the subway system of the city center of Stockholm, Sweden. Main emphasis was placed on number concentration, particle size distribution, soot content (analyzed as elemental and black carbon) and surface area concentration. Conventional measurements of mass concentrations were conducted in parallel as well as analysis of particle morphology, bulk- and surface composition.