Table 3.
Occupational exposure to different forms of silver.
| Ways of Exposure | Average Blood Levels | Study Population (Individuals) |
|---|---|---|
| Population in general that does not work with silver |
1 μg Ag/L | 26 |
| Silver material manufacturers | 0.00035 and 0.00135 mg Ag/m3, blood levels of 0.34 and 0.30 μg Ag/L |
2 |
| Recovery of silver from x-rays and photographic films. |
0.085 and 1 mg Ag/m3, 0.03 y 0.17 mg Ag/m3 resulting in blood levels of 49 y 79 μg Ag/L, respectively. |
2 |
| Exposed to silver oxides and silver nitrates |
Media: 19.5 μg/L; range: 11–84 μg/L | 30 |
| Silver powder manufacturing | Media: 10 μg/L; range: 0.5–62 μg/L | 25 |
| Recovery of silver in waste | Media: 10 μg/L | 21 |
| Scrap silver recovery, coin silver refinery, jewelry production |
Media: 10 μg/L; range: 0.1–23 μg/L | 98 |
| Smelting, refining, and manufacturing of silver salts | Media: 11 μg/L | 37 |
| Exposed to silver aerosol | 154.4 μg/L | 1 |