Open AccessEffect of occupational exposure to cobalt blue dyes on the thyroid volume and function of female plate painters.
Author(s) -
Eva Prescott,
Bo Netterstrøm,
Jens Faber,
László Hegedűs,
Poul Suadicani,
Jytte Molin Christensen
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of work, environment and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.621
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1795-990X
pISSN - 0355-3140
DOI - 10.5271/sjweh.1605
Subject(s) - cobalt , thyroid , medicine , endocrinology , hormone , thyroid function , triiodothyronine , chemistry , goiter , inorganic chemistry
It has previously been shown that long-term oral exposure to cobalt can cause goiter and myxedema. The effect of industrial cobalt exposure on thyroid volume and function was determined for 61 female plate painters exposed to cobalt blue dyes in two Danish porcelain factories and 48 unexposed referents. Thyroid volume was determined by ultrasonography. The cobalt blue dyes were used in one of two forms, cobalt aluminate (insoluble) and cobalt-zinc silicate (semisoluble). Only the subjects exposed to semisoluble cobalt had a significantly increased urinary cobalt content (1.17 micrograms.mmol-1 versus 0.13 micrograms.mmol-1, P less than 0.0001). These subjects also had increased levels of serum thyroxine (T4) and free thyroxine (FT4I) (P = 0.0001 and 0.0029, respectively), unaltered serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and marginally reduced 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), whereas thyroid volume tended to be lower (P = 0.14). The group exposed to insoluble cobalt did not differ significantly in any thyroid-related parameters. No correlation between urinary cobalt and FT4I or thyroid volume was found. The study demonstrates an effect of cobalt on thyroid hormone metabolism.