Biomonitoring of Platinum Group Elements (PGEs) in Occupational Medicine

Platinum, palladium, rhodium and iridium are platinum group elements (PGEs) employed in several industrial, chemical, and electronic applications and as active catalyst materials in automotive converters. However, despite the widespread use of these metals and their increasing emission into the environment due to the abrasion of catalytic devices, little is known of their toxic effects. Considerable concern has therefore arisen over the potential health risks for the general population and particularly for workers exposed to PGEs during production and recycling activities or via traffic emissions. Consequently, biological monitoring is important in order to assess PGE exposure, early effects and susceptibility factors so that occupational risks can be adequately evaluated and managed. This chapter aims to evaluate potential biomarkers of occupational PGE exposure and discuss issues regarding future research aimed at determining indicators of early PGE effects and susceptibility, and focus on the relevance and feasibility of these potential biomarkers in occupational health practice