Platinum group metals (PGMs) is a group of metals that include platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium. Occupational respiratory exposure to platinum has been reported since 1945, but studies investigating occupational exposure to palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium are scarce. This review provides a summation of the information available on the respiratory exposure to PGMs in various industrial settings, methods used to assess exposure, and the possible adverse health effects resulting from occupational exposure to PGMs. Of these effects, respiratory sensitization caused by soluble PGMs is of most importance. Metallic PGMs have not been shown to cause allergic reactions. This review reiterates that occupational respiratory exposure to PGMs is dependent on the type of industry where exposure takes place, the chemical form (soluble or insoluble) of the PGMs present in the workplace air, and the tasks performed by workers in the specific work areas. Sensitization to soluble platinum is associated with the degree of exposure to soluble platinum compounds, and the highest concentrations of soluble PGMs in workplace air have been reported for precious metals refineries where personal exposures frequently exceed the occupational exposure limit for soluble platinum (2 μg/m³). Additionally, this review emphasizes that personal exposure monitoring is preferred over area monitoring when assessing workers’ exposure to PGMs. The legislation applicable to occupational exposure to PGMs is also discussed, and it is highlighted that the occupational exposure limit for soluble platinum has remained unchanged, in most countries, since 1970 and that too few countries have classified PGM compounds as respiratory or skin sensitizers. Finally, recommendations are made to ensure that future investigations are comparable in terms of the type of exposure monitoring (personal or area) conducted, the type of tasks included in the exposure monitoring program, and the format in which results are reported.

中文翻译：

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铂族金属的职业呼吸接触：回顾和建议

铂族金属（PGM）是包括铂，钯，铑，钌，铱和的一组金属。自1945年以来，已有职业性呼吸道接触铂的报道，但有关钯，铑，钌，铱和的职业性接触研究的研究很少。这篇综述总结了在各种工业环境下呼吸暴露于PGM的可用信息，用于评估暴露的方法以及职业性接触PGM可能对健康造成的不利影响。在这些影响中，由可溶性PGM引起的呼吸道致敏作用最为重要。尚未显示出金属PGM会引起过敏反应。这篇评论重申，职业性呼吸道对PGM的暴露取决于发生暴露的行业类型，工作场所空气中存在的PGM的化学形式（可溶或不可溶），以及工人在特定工作区域执行的任务。对可溶性铂的敏化与可溶性铂化合物的暴露程度有关，据报道，贵金属精炼厂的工作场所空气中可溶性PGM的浓度最高，其中个人暴露量经常超过可溶性铂的职业暴露极限（2μg/ m³）。此外，本评价强调在评估工人暴露于PGM的暴露时，个人暴露监测优于区域监测。还讨论了适用于职业性接触PGM的立法，并着重指出，自1970年以来，在大多数国家，可溶性铂的职业接触限值一直未变，而且很少有国家将PGM化合物归类为呼吸道或皮肤致敏剂。最后，提出建议以确保将来的调查在所进行的暴露监测类型（个人或领域），暴露监测程序中包含的任务类型以及报告结果的格式方面具有可比性。