Elevated trace element output in urine following acute volcanic gas exposure

Biological monitoring of exposure to gases and respirable particles is common in industry, when urine or blood samples are analysed for elevated levels of various trace elements, but this is almost unheard of in volcanology. In this work, 10 volunteers undertook 20 min of acute gas exposure downwind of fumaroles on White Island, New Zealand. Pre- and post-exposure urine samples were analysed for aluminium, arsenic, rubidium and mercury—elements which are known to be present in volcanic gases—in order to test if any may be used as markers for gas exposure. Statistically significant (p<0.025) post-exposure increases in aluminium and rubidium excretion were seen, indicating respiratory absorption during gas exposure. No significant changes were observed in the analyses of arsenic and mercury. We suggest that aluminium and possibly rubidium may be useful markers of exposure to other more hazardous gases, to which volcanologists are exposed when working without respirators near fumaroles, lava flows, or other sources of volcanic gas.