Introduction
Vanadium is a natural element present in the atmosphere. It is used for the production of various industrial products and also possesses some health benefits for the human body. Vanadium is considered an essential trace mineral. Small quantities of vanadium are needed to maintain body functions. Vanadium vapors are released into the atmosphere from the burning of oil products (fossil fuels). These vanadium particles will mix up with the polluted air and form vanadium particulate matter (PM). It enters the human body through respiration and causes irreversible damage to the body tissues.
What Is Vanadium?
Vanadium is a silver-gray, hard, malleable transition metal. It is an abundant metal that occurs naturally in about 65 minerals in combined forms. Vanadium is mainly used to produce high-speed tool steels and steel alloys. Vanadium pentoxide is an important industrial vanadium compound that is used as a catalyst to produce sulfuric acid. Crude oil contains vanadium as an organic metal complex. The quantity of vanadium depends on the extraction source of crude oil.
Vanadium is also released into the atmosphere from the combustion of fossil fuels. Air-suspended vanadium particles possess adverse effects on human health. Vanadium particulate matter is released into the atmosphere from natural sources like forest fires, volcanic eruptions, continental dust, and sea salt spray. Vanadium also possesses some beneficial effects on both humans and animals. It is an essential trace element. Vanadium deficiencies are associated with some pathological conditions in our bodies. Even Though vanadium is needed in trace amounts for body functions, its toxicity will cause damage to various tissues and organs.
What Are the Uses of Vanadium?
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The majority of the vanadium produced (around 85 percent) is used as a steel additive or ferrovanadium. Vanadium increases the strength of steel by forming stable carbides and nitrides.
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Vanadium (vanadium gallium tape) is used as a catalyst for the production of superconducting magnets.
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Vanadium oxide can be used for the production of sulphuric acid.
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Vanadium pentoxide is used as a catalyst for the production of printing fabrics and dyes.
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Vanadium supplements are used for treating low blood sugar, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, syphilis, tuberculosis, and edema (water retention). It can also be used for preventing cancer and in weight training to improve athletic performance.
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Vanadium is used as a pigment for the manufacture of ceramics.
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Vanadium can be used for the production of electric vehicles as cathodes of batteries.
What Is Vanadium Toxicity?
Excessive vanadium concentration in the body can cause damage to various organs and tissues. Vanadium in very low concentrations is essential for living species, including humans. Vanadium concentrations of 0.01 milligrams each day are sufficient for human body needs. Exposure to large quantities of vanadium will cause irreversible body damage. It mainly involves the circulatory, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and central nervous systems. Vanadium also shows nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic properties. Inhalation of air-suspended vanadium particles produced from the combustion of oil products will cause multi-organ damage due to toxicity. Inhaled suspended vanadium particles reach the body and activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MKAPs) and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). This reactive oxygen species will cause irreversible damage to protein, DNA, and RNA (genetic material) and cause cell death. Various toxicities associated with vanadium include the following:
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Hepatotoxicity - Inhaled vanadium particles will reach the liver and cause hepatotoxicity. It will cause increased lipid peroxidation and oxidative cell damage.
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Lung Toxicity - Vanadium inhalation will result in the influx of inflammatory cells in bronchiolar lavage, impaired lung function, and fibrotic changes in the lungs. Increased inflammation will cause epithelial hyperplasia, lung fibrosis, and restrictive lung diseases. Pneumonia, pharyngitis, rhinitis, and bronchitis (boilermaker's bronchitis) are observed in industrial workers exposed to vanadium.
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Reproductive Toxicity - Vanadium inhalation causes adverse effects on the male reproductive system. It includes low sperm count, alterations in spermatogenesis, a decrease in sperm motility, and increased sperm morphological abnormalities. Toxic intermediates released from vanadium will cause Sertoli cell necrosis and damage to spermatogonia and spermatocytes. Reproductive cells show pathological changes, including mitochondrial and vacuolation cytoplasm swelling and a decrease in mitochondrial cristae. Damage to cytoskeletal proteins is also observed in vanadium toxicity. These proteins play an important role in the regulation of major processes in the testis and spermatogenesis. Cytoskeleton damage of testicular cells produced by vanadium inhalation causes changes in testicular functions and results in infertility.
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Genotoxicity - Vanadium inhalation causes genetic damage through the oxidation of sugar residues and nitrogenous bases and by breaking DNA strands. DNA damage will lead to mutations and other complications.
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Immune System Toxicity - Vanadium toxicity will cause damage to the thymus, spleen, and lymph node and result in reduced immune response and susceptibility to various infections.
What Are the Blood Changes That Occur After Vanadium Inhalation?
Vanadium is released into the atmosphere by the combustion of fossil fuels. The vanadium oxide released into the atmosphere will combine with particulate matter (PM) and reach the respiratory system. After reaching the respiratory cells, it crosses the alveolar walls and reaches the systemic circulation, and causes adverse health effects. Chronic exposure to vanadium vapors will cause cardiac autonomic function abnormalities. Vanadium is associated with thromboembolic diseases and induces thrombocytosis. Myocardial vascular conjunction with focal perivascular hemorrhages is observed in experimental animals exposed to high levels of vanadium pentoxide. Vanadium inhalation will cause irreversible damage to the cardiac cells and heart failure. Increased mortality due to cardiac failure is observed in urban areas containing vanadium-contaminated air.
Conclusion
Vanadium is a naturally occurring element present in the environment. It is used for the production of various industrial products. Vanadium is considered an essential trace element in the human body, but it is considered toxic in large concentrations. Vanadium released into the atmosphere from various processes will mix up with the atmospheric air and reach the human body. Inhaled vanadium particles will cause alterations in the blood and cause chronic systemic inflammation. In addition, vanadium inhalation will cause oxidative stress and result in the production of reactive oxygen species in the cells. These highly reactive free radicals will damage biological molecules like proteins, DNA, carbohydrates, and lipids.
