WOWWWW metal fumes just wow. what kind of ventilation, was there an extractor hood?
were they following this guide or something similar?
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/fd2.pdf
scratching the surface of foundry fume health research:
Clearing the Air in Foundries
Diether, J W
Safety and Health. Vol. 160, no. 5, pp. 54-58. Nov. 1999
Foundries are one environment where the potential for hazardous airborne exposure is great. Without intervention, silica dust and fumes from various molten metals, such as lead, nickel and chromium, can cause serious health problems. The disease most closely linked to prolonged exposure to airborne respirable silica is silicosis. This irreversible condition results when fine dust particles are lodged in the alveoli, or outer branches of the lungs. Scar tissue forms around silica particles and reduces the functional volume of the lung, which in turn leads to fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain. Silicosis can be fatal if it seriously impairs respiratory function. Excessive silica inhalation also is associated with respiratory diseases, including an increased susceptibility to tuberculosis. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, silica is a carcinogen and excessive exposure can increase the risk of lung cancer. Heart problems and pulmonary hypertension also may occur. Exposure to uncontrolled metal fumes produces varying physical symptoms, depending on the composition of the alloy. Lead exposure, for example, causes severe gastrointestinal disturbance and anemia. It also can lead to kidney and neurologic disorders. Chromium and nickel can be corrosive and carcinogenic to the upper respiratory system and lungs. Although inhalation hazards cannot be eliminated, exposure to them can be minimized using two universal hazard control principles: ventilation and isolation techniques.
Sequelae of fume exposure in confined space welding: A neurological and neuropsychological case series
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 3X06002907
Welding fume contains manganese (Mn) which is known to be bio-available to and neurotoxic for the central nervous system. Although an essential metal, Mn overexposure may cause manganism, a parkinsonian syndrome. The present welder study sought to improve the clinical portrait of manganism and to determine dose–effect relationships. The welders were employed in the construction of the new Bay Bridge (San Francisco) and welded in confined spaces for up to 2 years with minimal protection and poor ventilation. Neurological, neuropsychological, neurophysiological, and pulmonary examinations were given to 49 welders. Clinical cases were selected on the basis of apriori defined criteria pertaining to welding history and neurological/neuropsychological features. Among the 43 eligible welders, 11 cases of manganism were identified presenting with the following symptoms: sleep disturbance, mood changes, bradykinesia, headaches, sexual dysfunction, olfaction loss, muscular rigidity, tremors, hallucinations, slurred speech, postural instability, monotonous voice, and facial masking. Significant associations between outcome variables and cumulative exposure index (CEI) or blood Mn (MnB) were obtained with CEI for variables implicating attention and concentration, working and immediate memory, cognitive flexibility, and verbal learning; and with MnB for executive function, cognitive flexibility, visuo-spatial construction ability, and visual contrast sensitivity. This study strongly suggests that neuropsychological features contribute in a dose–effect related way to the portrait of manganism usually characterized by tremor, loss in balance, diminished cognitive performance, and signs and symptoms of parkinsonism.
Heavy metal poisoning and its laboratory investigation
http://asquifyde.es/uploads/documentos/ ... n-1999.pdf
Metals with small atomic radii often have important cellular functions which depend on the formation of their preferred co-ordination complexes with oxygen or nitrogen ligands of comparable size; for example, to control the quaternary arrangement in structural or catalytic domains of proteins (e.g., zinc and copper in superoxide dismutase), and in the transport of amino acids with sodium and of electrons by iron and copper in cytochrome c oxidase.
Light toxic metals (e.g., lithium and aluminium) may compete with or replace the metals they resemble.
apparently there's a lithium-sodium size match. so although i wouldn't normally suggest a sodium test for an ms patient, you might want to have that piece of info in addition to the rest. i think the zinc test just leapt to the forefront also. when the zinc goes into the metal, what form is it in? how does it complex with the rest of the alloy? it will help me zero in on the right research. hopefully ;)
do you have your lithium results on file? good to have your own copies of all tests.