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Table 1 Composition of foundry dusta and corresponding toxicological data

From: Health status of male steel workers at an electric arc furnace (EAF) in Trentino, Italy

Elements

mg/kg of dusts

% of total

IARC Classificationb

non-cancer health effects

Iron (Fe)

197000

78

 

Intestine, liver, heart

Aluminium (Al)

18970

7.64

 

Central Nervous System (CNS), bone

Zinc (Zn)

14340

5.68

 

Intestine, genitourinary, CNS [67, 73]

Manganese (Mn)

12500

4.95

 

CNS [74]

Total hydrocarbons

2960

1.17

(see P.A.H.)

(see P.A.H.)

Lead (Pb)

2860

1.13

2A (inorganic compounds) and 2B

CNS, liver, kidney [75]

Chromium (Cr) (total)

2230

0.88

1

Skin, bone, kidney [75]

Copper (Cu)

810

0.32

 

Liver, kidney, skin, bone, teeth

Nickel (Ni)

510

0.20

1 (compounds) and 2B

Skin, bone, teeth, diabetes [25, 56]

Cadmium (Cd)

30

0.0118

1

Liver, kidney, eye, bone, diabetes [57]

P.A.H.

3.66–44.67

0.009

1 (benzo[a]pyrene), 2A, 2B and 3

Heart (attack), teratogenic [16]

Mercury (Hg)

9

0.0035

2B (methyl mercury) and 3

CNS, liver, kidney, diabetes [56]

Arsenic (As)

4

0.0015

1

CNS, diabetes [56]

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)

0.092–0.693

0.0001

1

Endocrine disruptor, teratogenic

Dioxins (PCDD/F)

107.8 ng/TEQ

/

1

Endocrine disruptor, teratogenic [44]

  1. afrom Agenzia Provinciale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente (APPA) of Trento, 12th December 2006 (dioxins excluded)
  2. bInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification: group 1: carcinogenic for humans; group 2A: probable carcinogenic for humans; group 2B: possible carcinogenic for humans; Group 3: unclassified as to carcinogenic for humans