Literature Review: Biological Monitoring of Cobalt: Does Dermal Exposure Contribute to Uptake?

Introduction. Exposure to cobalt is recognized for its negative impact on health. Inhalation-based occupational exposure to cobalt has been recognized for many years. While the primary route of cobalt absorption is through the respiratory system, there is a possibility of penetration through the skin. The aim is to explore the correlation between occupational dermal exposure to cobalt and the levels of cobalt detected in blood and urine through biomonitoring. Methods. Using evidence-based databases and the "PICO" method, this etiological study searched the literature for answers to clinical issues.The author searched the relevant articles using the following databases: “PubMed”, “Embase”, and “Scopus”. The inclusion criteria included studies conducted in English, involving human subjects who were workers, focused on cobalt exposure, and incorporated biological monitoring. Results. Based on the analysis of four reviewed literatures, the author found that significant correlations between cobalt exposure in the air and on the skin of hard metal workers and the uptake of cobalt in their blood and urine. Cobalt on skin and uptake in blood and urine presented correlation coefficients of 0.36 and 0.17. Discussion. Exposure to cobalt on the skin showed a significant correlation with uptake in blood but not urine. The absorption of the metal through the skin is linked to the ability of sweat to oxidize metallic cobalt. Conclusion. The results highlight the importance of skin contact as a possible pathway for cobalt absorption into the bloodstream and offer insightful information about occupational cobalt exposure and its possible health effects on workers.