Derivation of a biological limit value (BLV) for inorganic lead based on lead-induced genotoxicity in workers using the benchmark dose approach (BMD).

Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS) 2022 Jan

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Safe exposure levels for industrial chemicals are a prerequisite to the safety of workers in occupational settings. The application areas of the benchmark dose (BMD) approach have tremendously increased in recent years. Quantitative analyzes of dose-response relationships of genotoxic chemicals are among these application areas too. This study investigates the applicability of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies in lymphocytes of lead-exposed workers to derive a biological limit value (BLV) for inorganic lead. To this end, our previously published occupational lead exposure data were pooled and re-examined by using the BMD approach. Subsequently, we determined the point of departure (POD) value for lead-induced SCE frequencies in lymphocytes. Accordingly, the blood lead concentrations and SCE frequencies in lymphocytes of 26 control and 108 lead-exposed male voluntary workers employed in a battery manufacturing plant were subjected to BMD modeling to determine the BMD confidence interval (BMD-CI). According to our data set, benchmark dose lower bound (BMDL) of 6.55 μg Pb/dL blood for the SCE frequencies in lymphocytes of lead-exposed workers has been obtained. The blood lead concentration of 6.55 μg/dL might be proposed as the BLV for lead and its inorganic lead compounds based on our dataset. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Citation

Yalçın Duydu. Derivation of a biological limit value (BLV) for inorganic lead based on lead-induced genotoxicity in workers using the benchmark dose approach (BMD). Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS). 2022 Jan;69:126894