Levels, Exposure and Risk Assessment to Metals in Blood of Adult Working Population in Valencia Region (Spain).
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science and University Institute of Materials, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain.
- 2Public Health Laboratory of Alicante, 6 Plaza de España, 03010 Alicante, Spain.
- 3Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, 21 Avenida Catalunya, 46020 Valencia, Spain.
- 4National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km.2, 28220 Majadahonda, Spain.
Abstract
Exposure of the general population to essential and toxic metals represents an important public health concern due to their accumulation in the body and their potential adverse effects on multiple target organs. This study, conducted within the framework of the BIOMOVAL project, determined whole-blood concentrations of 19 metals (As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Se, Tl, U, V, and Zn) in 541 working adults recruited during 2021 in the Valencian Community, Spain. Furthermore, data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational history, dietary habits, and lifestyle factors were also collected. Essential metals, including Cu, Co, Zn, Mn, and Se, were detected with 100% detection rates. Regarding toxic metals, the concentration of Pb was higher in male subjects and smokers. For Hg, the hazard quotient (HQ) at the 95th percentile was 3.28, and 41% of the population exceeded the HBM-I reference value, which may indicate potential health concerns for a substantial proportion of the study population. Cd, although safe on average (HQ = 0.17), exceeded the threshold at the 95th percentile (HQ = 1.04). Zn, on the other hand, had an HQ of 1.23 at the 95th percentile, and 23% of population exceeded the selected Biomonitoring Equivalent value. This study highlights the importance of implementing strategies to reduce exposure to some metals, as well as sustaining human biomonitoring programmes to support evidence-based public health policies and protect the population.
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BibTeX
@article{saez2026levels,
title = {{Levels, Exposure and Risk Assessment to Metals in Blood of Adult Working Population in Valencia Region (Spain).}},
author = {Carmen Sáez and Alfredo Sánchez and Pablo Dualde and Miguel Ángel Aguirre and Antonio Canals and Marta Esteban-López and Ana Cañas-Portilla and Susana Pedraza-Díaz and Clara Coscollà},
journal = {Toxics},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/toxics14100874},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931661},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Levels, Exposure and Risk Assessment to Metals in Blood of Adult Working Population in Valencia Region (Spain).
AU - Carmen Sáez
AU - Alfredo Sánchez
AU - Pablo Dualde
AU - Miguel Ángel Aguirre
AU - Antonio Canals
AU - Marta Esteban-López
AU - Ana Cañas-Portilla
AU - Susana Pedraza-Díaz
AU - Clara Coscollà
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Toxics
DO - 10.3390/toxics14100874
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931661
AB - Exposure of the general population to essential and toxic metals represents an important public health concern due to their accumulation in the body and their potential adverse effects on multiple target organs. This study, conducted within the framework of the BIOMOVAL project, determined whole-blood concentrations of 19 metals (As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Se, Tl, U, V, and Zn) in 541 working adults recruited during 2021 in the Valencian Community, Spain. Furthermore, data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational history, dietary habits, and lifestyle factors were also collected. Essential metals, including Cu, Co, Zn, Mn, and Se, were detected with 100% detection rates. Regarding toxic metals, the concentration of Pb was higher in male subjects and smokers. For Hg, the hazard quotient (HQ) at the 95th percentile was 3.28, and 41% of the population exceeded the HBM-I reference value, which may indicate potential health concerns for a substantial proportion of the study population. Cd, although safe on average (HQ = 0.17), exceeded the threshold at the 95th percentile (HQ = 1.04). Zn, on the other hand, had an HQ of 1.23 at the 95th percentile, and 23% of population exceeded the selected Biomonitoring Equivalent value. This study highlights the importance of implementing strategies to reduce exposure to some metals, as well as sustaining human biomonitoring programmes to support evidence-based public health policies and protect the population.
SN - 2305-6304
ER -