PT Journal AU Ulfvarson, U Wold, S TI Trace-element concentrations in blood samples from welders of stainless steel or aluminium and a reference group. SO Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PD 12VL PY 1977 BP 183 EP 191 IS 4 DI 10.5271/sjweh.2774 WP https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=2774 DE aluminium; blood concentration; blood sample; pattern recognition; reference group; stainless steel; trace-element concentration; welder SN 0355-3140 AB

The concentrations of 17 trace elements (e.g., copper, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, silicon and magnesium) were determined in whole blood samples of 81 persons working with different welding methods on stainless steel or aluminium and 68 nonwelders. Inorganic spark source mass spectrometry was used for the chemical analyses. The data were analyzed by the SIMCA method for pattern recognition (discriminant analysis). No differences were found between the five groups, either in the average levels of the trace elements or in the correlation structures between the trace elements. Thus no blood concentration data on the analyzed elements and collected from a single person contained any information with respect to exposure to the welding fumes investigated.

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