[Risk of exposure to metals in the production and processing of copper alloys].

A study was carried out in 3 copper alloy industries: a foundry for scrap of various origin producing brass and bronze alloys (foundry A) and 2 foundries that used these same alloys (foundries B and C). An environmental investigation and biological monitoring of the employees for Pb, ZPP, Cu, Zn, Be, Sb, Mn, Ni and Cr were performed in each foundry. The results of biological and environmental monitoring showed that the Pb exposure levels were distinctly higher than those of the other metals in all 3 foundries. The highest levels of PbA and PbB were observed in foundry A, especially during scrap grinding operations, where the limit values were exceeded. The environmental concentrations and the levels of the biological indicators for all other metals, except Pb, were within reasonable limits. Therefore, in the investigated working situations and for the metals under study, except Pb, it would appear that a situation exists of exposure to "microdoses" which, even though not implying a risk of appearance of the classic signs and symptoms of intoxication, raises the problem of the possibility of identifying early effects and interpreting the biological indicators. Biological monitoring of exposed subjects has shown that the levels of the indicators for Cu, Ni and Cr are markedly different from the reference values on a group basis, whereas in individual workers the values are generally below the "upper limits". A comparison with the "limit values'' was only possible for the biological indicators of Pb; for the others, although differences were observed indicating that absorption had taken place, no univocal interpretation criteria exist, considering also the relatively low mean increases observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)