The most commonly used solution in chrome plating bath is chromic acid (hexavalent Cr), and a considerable amount of mists is released into the air and consequently produce hazards to workers. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether the biomarker of exposure to metals, specially Cr levels, presents associations with hematological and biochemical parameters and if they can alter the activity of enzymes that contain thiol groups such as pyruvate kinase, creatine kinase, adenylate kinase, and δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase. Fifty male chrome plating workers were used for exposed group and 50 male non-exposed workers for control group. For that, biological monitoring was performed through quantification of metals on total blood and urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and enzyme activity was performed by spectrometry in erythrocytes. In addition, chromium levels in water was quantified and ecotoxicology assay was performed with Allium cepa test. The results demonstrated that blood and urinary chromium levels in exposed group were higher than the control group (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, decreased activity of enzymes was found in those that contain thiol groups from exposed group when compared with the control group (p < 0.001). The water analysis did not present a statistical difference between control and exposed groups (p > 0.05), demonstrating that water did not seem to be the source of contamination. In summary, our findings indicated some toxicology effects observed in the exposed group, such as thiol enzyme inhibition, mainly associated with occupational exposure in chrome plating and besides the presence of other metals, and Cr demonstrated to influence the activity of the enzymes analyzed in this research.
Keywords: Biomonitoring; Chromium; Occupational exposure; Thiol-containing enzymes; Water.