Dynamic Changes in DNA Damage and Repair Biomarkers with Employment Length among Nickel Smelting Workers

Our study explored the dynamic changes in andthe relationship between the DNA damage marker8-hydroxy-2＇-deoxyguanosine （8-OHdG） and theDNA repair marker 8-hydroxyguanine DNAglycosidase 1 （hOGG1） according to the length ofoccupational employment in nickel smeltingworkers. One hundred forty nickel-exposedsmelting workers and 140 age-matched unexposedoffice workers were selected from the Jinchangcohort. The 8-OHdG levels in smelting workers wassignificantly higher than in office workers （Z=-8.688,P〈0.05） and the 8-OHdG levels among nickelsmelting workers in the 10-14 y employment lengthcategory was significantly higher than among allpeers. The hOGG1 levels among smelting workerswere significantly lower than those of non-exposedworkers （Z=-8.948, P〈0.05）. There were significantdifferences between employment length andhOGG1 levels, with subjects employed in nickelsmelting for 10-14 y showing the highest levels ofhOGG1. Correlation analysis showed positivecorrelations between 8-OHdG and hOGG1 levels（r=0.413; P〈0.01）. DNA damage was increased withemployment length among nickel smelting workersand was related to the inhibition of hOGG1 repaircapacity.

Direct smelting process for stainless steel crude alloy recovery from mixed low-grade chromite, nickel laterite and manganese ores

Stainless steel crude alloy recovery from direct smelting of low-grade chromite, nickel laterite and manganese ores was investigated. The mixed low-grade ores were directly smelted in an elevator furnace at smelting temperatures ranging from 1550 to 1600 ℃. Smelting experiments were conducted in a laboratory elevator furnace equipped with 8 U-shaped high- quality molybdenum disilicide heating elements. A low-grade coal was used as the reductant. Experimental results showed that the recovery of Fe, Cr, Ni, Mn and Si within the alloy increased from 34.22, 60.27, 57.14, 25.42 and 13.02% to 69.91, 99.26, 86.02, 60.8 and 34.21%, respectively, when the temperature was increased from 1550 to 1600 ℃. There was a general increase in the total recoveries of Fe, Cr, and Ni in the alloy with CaO addition increasing from 0.4 g up to 1.2 g. However, the recoveries of Mn and Si vividly decreased as the CaO contents were increased. In general, the recoveries of the metal contents of the crude alloy increase with the increase in the amount of manganese ore. Compared to the recoveries of Fe, Cr, and Ni when CaO was added, the recoveries of Fe, Cr and Ni were lower when manganese ore was used as an additive.