Vanadium and Compounds Toxicology

Compounds

pentoxide

Uses

V2O5
  • ferrovanadium containing from 30% to 95% vanadium,
  • special steels with vanadium carbide,
  • hard alloys with chromium, nickel, manganese, boron, titanium, tungsten,
  • etc.
  • in petrochemistry,
  • for the production of sulphuric acid,
  • for the production of phtalic anhydride,
  • in the oxidation of ethanol.
  • in dyeing,
  • in glassmaking,
  • in ceramics
  • as developers in photography,
  • in the manufacture of inks and luminescent materials.

Exposure

1. Non-professional exposure:2. Professional exposure:

There is metallurgy:

  • ore precessing,
  • refining of the pentoxide,
  • manufacture of alloys.

Catalysts handling in petrochemistry (cleaning of tanks and reactors).

Activities exposing to soots and ashes from fuel and mineral oils.

Cleaning and/or repairing of boilers burners as well as tanks in refineries and on ships, work in stove-building/boilermaking are important sources of workers' contamination.

The contamination of workers results from inhalation of dust and fume, generally in the form of pentavalent derivatives. 25% of the inhaled dose is absorbed, whereas absorbtion by ingestion is less than 1%. In vitro, on human skin, radioctive vanadium does not penetrate skin.

Toxicity

1. Iatrogenic intoxications:

Sodium metavanadate was used in the 1920s and 1930s in the treatment of several diseases at doses between 50 to 150 mg/day, and no particular undesirable effect was observed.

On the other hand, vanadium and ammonium tartrate, in amounts varying between 50 and 150 mg/day caused:

  • tiredness,
  • greenish colored tongue,
  • abdominal pains,
  • soft stools.

Because of supposed anabolic properties, vanadyl sulphate is used by athletes and body-builders in doses reaching 60 mg/day.

However, a clinical trial carried out in 1995 in New Zealand at a dose of 0.5mg/kg/day for 12 weeks did not show any effect on several blood parameters such as blood count, blood viscosity, proteins, lipids, creatinine, bilirubin, liver transaminases, etc.

2. Acute intoxication by ingestion: There are only two cases described in the world medical literature following vanadium salts ingestion.

In the 1st case that occurred in Poland, the amount of pentoxide ingested is unknown and the clinical picture included :

  • severe hemorrhagic gastroenteritis,
  • hypovolemia,
  • electrolytes disorders (hypokaliemia and hyponatremia).