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Electron microscopy of particles deposited in the lungs of nickel refinery workers

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Abstract

The size, morphology, and chemical composition of particles deposited in the lungs of two nickel refinery workers were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The particles were extracted from the lung tissue by low-temperature ashing or by dissolution in tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The suitability of both sample preparation techniques was checked with reference materials. Both approaches lead to Fe-rich artifact particles. Low-temperature ashing leads to oxidation of small (diameter < 2 μm) metallic Ni and Ni sulfide particles, dissolution in tetramethylammonium hydroxide to removal of sulfate surface layers. Silicates and alumosilicates are the most abundant particle groups in the lungs of both subjects. From the various metal-dominated particle groups, Ni-rich particles are most abundant followed by Fe-rich and Ti-rich particles. Ni appears to be present predominantly as an oxide. Pure Ni metal and Ni sulfides were not observed. The presence of soluble Ni phases was not investigated as they will not be preserved during sample preparation. Based on their spherical morphology, it is estimated that a large fraction of Ni-rich particles (50–60 % by number) as well as Fe-rich and Cu-rich particles (27–45 %) originate from high-temperature processes (smelting, welding). This fraction is much lower for silicates (3–5 %), alumosilicates (1–2 %), and Ti-rich particles (9–11 %). The absence of metallic Ni particles most likely results from low exposure to this species. The absence of Ni sulfides may be either ascribed to low exposure or to fast clearance.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Gabriele Gorzawski for focussed ion beam investigations.

Ethical approval

The manuscript was evaluated by the regional ethical committee of Norway (REK nord) at the University of Tromsø, and it was concluded by this committee that the study does not require an ethical approval.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technical University Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 9, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    Miriam Küpper, Stephan Weinbruch, Nathalie Benker & Martin Ebert

  2. National Institute of Occupational Health, Gydas vei 8, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033, Oslo, Norway

    Miriam Küpper, Stephan Weinbruch, Vidar Skaug, Asbjørn Skogstad, Elín Einarsdóttir Thornér & Yngvar Thomassen

  3. Northwest Public Health Research Centre, 2-Sovetskaya 4, St. Petersburg, 191036, Russia

    Valery Chashchin

  4. Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø—The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019, Tromsø, Norway

    Jon Øyvind Odland

  5. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432, Ås, Norway

    Yngvar Thomassen

Authors
  1. Miriam Küpper
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  2. Stephan Weinbruch
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  3. Vidar Skaug
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  4. Asbjørn Skogstad
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  5. Elín Einarsdóttir Thornér
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  6. Nathalie Benker
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  7. Martin Ebert
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  8. Valery Chashchin
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  9. Jon Øyvind Odland
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephan Weinbruch.

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Instrumental parameters, particle classification criteria and results of treatment of standard materials (PDF 121 kb)

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Küpper, M., Weinbruch, S., Skaug, V. et al. Electron microscopy of particles deposited in the lungs of nickel refinery workers. Anal Bioanal Chem 407, 6435–6445 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-8806-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-8806-z

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