Subchronic toxicity study of indium-tin oxide nanoparticles following intratracheal administration into the lungs of rats.

Objectives: We aimed to analyze the subchronic toxicity and tissue distribution of indium after the intratracheal administration of indium-tin oxide nanoparticles (ITO NPs) to the lungs of rats.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were administered a single intratracheal dose of 10 or 20 mg In/kg body weight (BW) of ITO NPs. The control rats received only an intratracheal dose of distilled water.

A case report of Indium lung with progressive emphysema and fibrosis underwent lung unilateral transplantation 20 years after the end of the exposure.

Background: Indium lung is characterized by interstitial pneumonia and/or emphysema which occurs in indium-tin oxide (ITO) workers. Indium lung is now known to progress after stopping exposure to ITO, but the long-term influences of ITO remain unclear.

Case Presentation: Forty seven years old, a never-smoker, who had been engaged in an ITO manufacturing process for 8 years.

Indium concentration in serum is an excellent predictor for assessing accumulated indium concentration in the lungs.

Objective: To clarify whether indium in serum (In-S) is an appropriate parameter for assessing accumulated indium concentration in the lungs (In-L).

Methods: During our approximately 15-year Japanese cohort follow-up, five male indium-tin oxide (ITO) or/and indium trioxide-exposed workers underwent lung surgical procedures to treat lung diseases or to confirm a diagnosis of lung impairments. We measured In-L of these Cases 1-5 and were able to assess the relationship between In-L and the most recent In-S.

Indium kinetics in an indium exposed worker before and after bilateral lung transplantation.

Background: A male worker with indium-tin oxide (ITO)-induced pneumoconiosis underwent bilateral lung transplantation (LT).

Methods: Post-LT histopathological investigations of the isolated lungs and hilar lymph nodes were performed and indium concentration in serum (In-S) and serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) were tracked for 122 weeks.

Results: He has attained the ultimate treatment goal of > 2-year survival.

Possibility of lung cancer risk in indium-exposed workers: An 11-year multicenter cohort study.

Background: We established a causal relationship between indium exposure and lung interstitial and emphysematous effects. Lung cancer has been clearly demonstrated in rats and mice exposed to indium phosphide and in rats exposed to indium tin oxide. However, no information is available on human indium-related lung cancer.

[Study on the Establishment of a Specific Similar Exposure Group (SEG) in Personal Exposure Monitoring: A Case Report of Indium Tin Oxide Target Surface Grinding Process].

Surface grinding workers of Indium Tin Oxide target material are exposed to an indium compound with high toxicity. We divided individual exposure workers into similar exposure groups (SEG) and examined the effectiveness of the classification of SEG. Sampling was carried out twice a day for a total of 10 times, in 9 of which a work environment measurement in unit work area was performed at the same time.

Personal indium exposure concentration in respirable dusts and serum indium level.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between indium exposure concentration in the respirable dust fraction (In-E) and indium in serum (In-S) in workers.

Methods: A total of 39 workers were studied. The study subjects were categorized into 3 groups, namely, smelting workers (n=7), ITO workers (n=6) in an ITO grinding plant, and other workers (n=26).

An advanced case of indium lung disease with progressive emphysema.

Objectives: To report the occurrence of an advanced case of indium lung disease with severely progressive emphysema in an indium-exposed worker.

Case Report: A healthy 42-year-old male smoker was employed to primarily grind indium-tin oxide (ITO) target plates, exposing him to indium for 9 years (1998-2008). In 2004, an epidemiological study was conducted on indium-exposed workers at the factory in which he worked.

Synthesis of Indium-Containing Nanoparticles in Aqueous Suspension Using Plasmas in Water for Evaluating Their Kinetics in Living Body.

Nanoparticles have great potential for medical applications such as cancer therapy, whereas their toxic effects on human body are pointed out. To study kinetics and toxicity of nanoparticles in living body, we synthesized indium-containing nanoparticles in aqueous suspension using pulsed electrical discharge plasmas in water, because no indium compounds exist in the living body in the normal situation and hence indium-containing nanoparticles are useful tracer materials for analyzing kinetics of nanoparticles in living body. The mean size of synthesized primary nanoparticles is 7 nm, whereas the mean size of secondary nanoparticles is 315 nm.

Pulmonary effects in workers exposed to indium metal: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Indium was added to the list of substances regulated by the Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Specified Chemical Substances (OPHSCS) in 2013. Indium metal (IM), however, is not regulated by the OPHSCS due to insufficient information on pulmonary effects following exposure.

Methods: From 2011 to 2013, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 141 IM-exposed workers at 11 factories.

Tissue distribution of indium after repeated intratracheal instillations of indium-tin oxide into the lungs of hamsters.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the tissue distribution of indium after intratracheally instilling indium-tin oxide (ITO) into the lungs of hamsters.

Methods: Male Syrian hamsters received an intratracheal dose of 3 mg/kg or 6 mg/kg of ITO particles containing 2.2 mg/kg or 4.

Five-year cohort study: emphysematous progression of indium-exposed workers.

Background: Dose-dependent adverse lung effects due to indium exposure have been reported in a cross-sectional study. This is a 5-year longitudinal cohort study of indium-exposed and unexposed workers, assessing indium exposure levels and its clinical lung effects.

Methods: From 2008 to 2011, a 5-year follow-up study was conducted on 40 unexposed and 240 workers formerly or currently exposed to indium at 11 factories.

[Health effects of solar cell component material. Toxicity of indium compounds to laboratory animals determined by intratracheal instillations].

Owing to the increasing interest being paid to the issue of the global environment, the production of solar cells has increased rapidly in recent years. Copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) is a new efficient thin film used in some types of solar cell. Indium is a constitutive element of CIGS thin-film solar cells.

Subacute pulmonary toxicity of copper indium gallium diselenide following intratracheal instillations into the lungs of rats.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to clarify the pulmonary toxicity of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells on 62 8-wk-old rats.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were given 0.5, 5 or 50 mg/kg of CIGS particles, intratracheally, 3 times for a week.

Assessment of workplace air concentrations of indium dust in an indium-recycling plant.

Objectives: Suspended indium dust in an indium-recycling plant was quantified, in order to improve the work environment and to reduce workers' exposure to the dust.

Methods: Assessment of indium dust in the workplace air by multipoint area sampling and personal breathing zone sampling was conducted twice in 2004 and 2008.

Results: In 2004, all recycling processes except for purity analysis were classified into control class III according to the 2004 Notification.

[Validity of serum surfactant protein D measurements in a cross-sectional study].

Background: In October, 2008, the method for enzyme-linked immunoassay for serum surfactant protein D (SP-D) was changed from SP-D kit (Yamasa) EIA to SP-D kit (Yamasa) EIA2 in Japan. In our follow-up survey on 144 indium-exposed workers from December, 2008 to June, 2009, SP-D showed systematically higher values compared to the first survey from March to July, 2008. Geometric means (prevalence rate) of serum SP-D of the first and follow-up study were 52.

Indium lung--case reports and epidemiology.

Purpose: The present review is aimed to introduce an new occupational lung disease, Indium Lung.

Methods: We searched case reports and epidemiological studies concerning indium-related lung diseases and reviewed.

Results: Up to March, 2010, 7 cases of interstitial pneumonia in Japanese indium-exposed workers, two cases of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) in US indium-exposed workers, one case of PAP in a Chinese indium-exposed worker, and 4 cross-sectional surveys in Japan had been published.

Chronic pulmonary toxicity study of indium-tin oxide and indium oxide following intratracheal instillations into the lungs of hamsters.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to clarify the chronic toxicological effects of indium-tin oxide (ITO) and indium oxide (In(2)O(3)) on laboratory animals.

Methods: Male Syrian golden hamsters were intratracheally administered 3 mg/kg or 6 mg/kg of ITO particles, or 2.7 mg/kg or 5.

Causal relationship between indium compound inhalation and effects on the lungs.

Background: Recent case reports and epidemiological studies suggest that inhalation of indium dust induces lung damage.

Objectives: To elucidate the dose-dependent effects of indium on the lungs and to prove a causal relationship more clearly.

Methods: A baseline observation was conducted on 465 workers currently exposed to indium, 127 workers formerly exposed to indium and 169 workers without indium exposure in 12 factories and 1 research laboratory from 2003 to 2006.

Effects of concurrent exposure to tributyltin and 1,1-dichloro-2,2 bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE) on immature male Wistar rats.

Tributyltin and 1, 1-dichloro-2, 2 bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE) have been ubiquitously distributed over the world. In Japan, p,p'-DDE and tributyltin are ingested through marine products, in which these substances are accumulated through bio-concentration and the food chain. However, the consequence of potential combined hazards of these substances remains unknown.

Toxicity of indium arsenide, gallium arsenide, and aluminium gallium arsenide.

Gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium arsenide (InAs), and aluminium gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) are semiconductor applications. Although the increased use of these materials has raised concerns about occupational exposure to them, there is little information regarding the adverse health effects to workers arising from exposure to these particles. However, available data indicate these semiconductor materials can be toxic in animals.