It has been shown that welding-associated long-term and short-term health effects could be detected in a population of welders. The results also showed that using personal protection equipment is of high importance and H(2)O(2) may be an effect marker associated with smoking rather than with welding fumes, while nitrate in EBC seems to be sensitive to welding fume exposure.

In this study it has been shown that welding associated long-term and short-term effects could be detected in a population of welders, although exposure conditions were quite heterogeneous. The parameters of IOS and Capnovolumetry showed effects even more pronounced than conventional lung function parameters. Thus, these techniques may be considered as an additional tool for occupational medicine research.