TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR 

TUNGSTEN 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Public Health Service 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
 

August 2005 
TUNGSTEN ii 

DISCLAIMER 

The use of company or product name(s) is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 
TUNGSTEN iii 

UPDATE STATEMENT 

A Toxicological Profile for Tungsten, Draft for Public Comment was released in September 2003. This 

edition supersedes any previously released draft or final profile. 

Toxicological profiles are revised and republished as necessary. For information regarding the update 

status of previously released profiles, contact ATSDR at: 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
 

Division of Toxicology/Toxicology Information Branch 

1600 Clifton Road NE 

Mailstop F-32 

Atlanta, Georgia 30333 



 

TUNGSTEN vii 

QUICK REFERENCE FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS 

Toxicological Profiles are a unique compilation of toxicological information on a given hazardous 

substance. Each profile reflects a comprehensive and extensive evaluation, summary, and interpretation 

of available toxicologic and epidemiologic information on a substance. Health care providers treating 

patients potentially exposed to hazardous substances will find the following information helpful for fast 

answers to often-asked questions. 

Primary Chapters/Sections of Interest 

Chapter 1: Public Health Statement: The Public Health Statement can be a useful tool for educating 

patients about possible exposure to a hazardous substance. It explains a substance’s relevant 

toxicologic properties in a nontechnical, question-and-answer format, and it includes a review of 

the general health effects observed following exposure. 

Chapter 2: Relevance to Public Health: The Relevance to Public Health Section evaluates, interprets, 

and assesses the significance of toxicity data to human health. 

Chapter 3: Health Effects: Specific health effects of a given hazardous compound are reported by type 

of health effect (death, systemic, immunologic, reproductive), by route of exposure, and by length 

of exposure (acute, intermediate, and chronic). In addition, both human and animal studies are 

reported in this section. 

NOTE: Not all health effects reported in this section are necessarily observed in the clinical 

setting. Please refer to the Public Health Statement to identify general health effects observed 

following exposure. 

Pediatrics: Four new sections have been added to each Toxicological Profile to address child health 

issues: 

Section 1.6 How Can (Chemical X) Affect Children? 

Section 1.7 How Can Families Reduce the Risk of Exposure to (Chemical X)? 

Section 3.7 Children’s Susceptibility 

Section 6.6 Exposures of Children 

Other Sections of Interest: 

Section 3.8 Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect 

Section 3.11 Methods for Reducing Toxic Effects 

ATSDR Information Center 

Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR or (404) 498-0110 Fax: (770) 488-4178 

E-mail: atsdric@cdc.gov Internet: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov 

The following additional material can be ordered through the ATSDR Information Center: 

Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: Taking an Exposure History—The importance of taking an 

exposure history and how to conduct one are described, and an example of a thorough exposure 

history is provided. Other case studies of interest include Reproductive and Developmental 
TUNGSTEN viii 

Hazards; Skin Lesions and Environmental Exposures; Cholinesterase-Inhibiting Pesticide 

Toxicity; and numerous chemical-specific case studies. 

Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents is a three-volume set of recommendations for on-scene 

(prehospital) and hospital medical management of patients exposed during a hazardous materials 

incident. Volumes I and II are planning guides to assist first responders and hospital emergency 

department personnel in planning for incidents that involve hazardous materials. Volume III— 

Medical Management Guidelines for Acute Chemical Exposures—is a guide for health care 

professionals treating patients exposed to hazardous materials. 

Fact Sheets (ToxFAQs) provide answers to frequently asked questions about toxic substances. 

Other Agencies and Organizations 

The National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) focuses on preventing or controlling disease, 

injury, and disability related to the interactions between people and their environment outside the 

workplace. Contact: NCEH, Mailstop F-29, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, Atlanta, 

GA 30341-3724 • Phone: 770-488-7000 • FAX: 770-488-7015. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducts research on occupational 

diseases and injuries, responds to requests for assistance by investigating problems of health and 

safety in the workplace, recommends standards to the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and trains 

professionals in occupational safety and health. Contact: NIOSH, 200 Independence Avenue, 

SW, Washington, DC 20201 • Phone: 800-356-4674 or NIOSH Technical Information Branch, 

Robert A. Taft Laboratory, Mailstop C-19, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998 

• Phone: 800-35-NIOSH. 

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is the principal federal agency for 

biomedical research on the effects of chemical, physical, and biologic environmental agents on 

human health and well-being. Contact: NIEHS, PO Box 12233, 104 T.W. Alexander Drive, 

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 • Phone: 919-541-3212. 

Referrals 

The Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) has developed a network of clinics 

in the United States to provide expertise in occupational and environmental issues. Contact: 

AOEC, 1010 Vermont Avenue, NW, #513, Washington, DC 20005 • Phone: 202-347-4976 

• FAX: 202-347-4950 • e-mail: AOEC@AOEC.ORG • Web Page: http://www.aoec.org/. 

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is an association of 

physicians and other health care providers specializing in the field of occupational and 

environmental medicine. Contact: ACOEM, 25 Northwest Point Boulevard, Suite 700, 

Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1030 • Phone: 847-818-1800 • FAX: 847-818-9266. 
TUNGSTEN ix 

CONTRIBUTORS 

CHEMICAL MANAGER(S)/AUTHOR(S): 

Sam Keith, M.S., C.H.P 

Daphne B. Moffett, Ph.D. 

Zemoria A. Rosemond, B.A. 

ATSDR, Division of Toxicology, Atlanta, GA 

David W. Wohlers, Ph.D. 

Richard J. Amata, M.S. 

Gary L. Diamond, Ph.D. 

Steven G. Swarts, Ph.D. 

Syracuse Research Corporation, North Syracuse, NY 

THE PROFILE HAS UNDERGONE THE FOLLOWING ATSDR INTERNAL REVIEWS: 

1. Health Effects Review. The Health Effects Review Committee examines the health effects 

chapter of each profile for consistency and accuracy in interpreting health effects and classifying 

end points. 

2.	 Minimal Risk Level Review. The Minimal Risk Level Workgroup considers issues relevant to 

substance-specific Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs), reviews the health effects database of each 

profile, and makes recommendations for derivation of MRLs. 

3. Data Needs Review. The Research Implementation Branch reviews data needs sections to assure 

consistency across profiles and adherence to instructions in the Guidance. 

4. Green Border Review. Green Border review assures the consistency with ATSDR policy. 

TUNGSTEN xi 

PEER REVIEW 

A peer review panel was assembled for tungsten. The panel consisted of the following members: 

1.	 Finis Cavender, Ph.D., DABT, CEI, Consultant in Toxicology, 310 Lightwood Knot Road, Greer, 

South Carolina 29651; 

2.	 Richard Leggett, Ph.D., Life Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 11401 Glen Iris 

Lane, Knoxville, Tennessee 37922-1744; 

3. Robert Michaels, Ph.D., President, RAM TRAC Corporation, Toxicology & Risk Assessment 

Consulting, 3100 Rosendale Road, Schenectady, New York 12309; and 

4.	 Raghubir Sharma, Ph.D., Fred C. Davison Distinguished Chair in Toxicology, Department of 

Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. 

These experts collectively have knowledge of tungsten's physical and chemical properties, toxicokinetics, 

key health end points, mechanisms of action, human and animal exposure, and quantification of risk to 

humans. All reviewers were selected in conformity with the conditions for peer review specified in 

Section 104(I)(13) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as 

amended. 

Scientists from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have reviewed the peer 

reviewers' comments and determined which comments will be included in the profile. A listing of the 

peer reviewers' comments not incorporated in the profile, with a brief explanation of the rationale for their 

exclusion, exists as part of the administrative record for this compound. 

The citation of the peer review panel should not be understood to imply its approval of the profile's final 

content. The responsibility for the content of this profile lies with the ATSDR. 

 

 

TUNGSTEN xiii 

CONTENTS 

DISCLAIMER ..............................................................................................................................................ii 

UPDATE STATEMENT .............................................................................................................................iii 

FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................................v 

QUICK REFERENCE FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS....................................................................vii 

CONTRIBUTORS.......................................................................................................................................ix 

PEER REVIEW ...........................................................................................................................................xi 

CONTENTS...............................................................................................................................................xiii 

LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................xvii 

LIST OF TABLES.....................................................................................................................................xix 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT..........................................................................................................1 

1.1 WHAT IS TUNGSTEN?.............................................................................................................1 

1.2 WHAT HAPPENS TO TUNGSTEN WHEN IT ENTERS THE ENVIRONMENT?................2 

1.3 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO TUNGSTEN? ....................................................................3 

1.4 HOW CAN TUNGSTEN ENTER AND LEAVE MY BODY? .................................................4 

1.5 HOW CAN TUNGSTEN AFFECT MY HEALTH? ..................................................................5 

1.6 HOW CAN TUNGSTEN AFFECT CHILDREN? ..................................................................... 6 

1.7 HOW CAN FAMILIES REDUCE THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO TUNGSTEN? ................. 6 

1.8 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN
 

EXPOSED TO TUNGSTEN? .....................................................................................................7 

1.9 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO 

PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH?.................................................................................................7 

1.10 WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? .......................................................................8 

2. RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH .................................................................................................11 

2.1 BACKGROUND AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES TO TUNGSTEN IN THE 

 UNITED STATES.....................................................................................................................11 

2.2 SUMMARY OF HEALTH EFFECTS......................................................................................12 

2.3 MINIMAL RISK LEVELS .......................................................................................................13 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS..............................................................................................................................15 

3.1 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................15 

3.2 DISCUSSION OF HEALTH EFFECTS BY ROUTE OF EXPOSURE ..................................15 

3.2.1 Inhalation Exposure ..............................................................................................................16 

3.2.1.1 Death ............................................................................................................................17 

3.2.1.2 Systemic Effects...........................................................................................................17 

3.2.1.3 Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects...............................................................21 

3.2.1.4 Neurological Effects.....................................................................................................21 

3.2.1.5 Reproductive Effects....................................................................................................22 

3.2.1.6 Developmental Effects .................................................................................................22 

3.2.1.7 Cancer...........................................................................................................................22 

3.2.2 Oral Exposure........................................................................................................................22 

3.2.2.1 Death ............................................................................................................................23 

3.2.2.2 Systemic Effects...........................................................................................................23 

3.2.2.3 Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects...............................................................29 

3.2.2.4 Neurological Effects.....................................................................................................29 
 

 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN xiv 

3.2.2.5 Reproductive Effects....................................................................................................29 

3.2.2.6 Developmental Effects .................................................................................................30 

3.2.2.7 Cancer...........................................................................................................................30 

3.2.3 Dermal Exposure...................................................................................................................31 

3.2.3.1 Death ............................................................................................................................31 

3.2.3.2 Systemic Effects...........................................................................................................31 

3.2.3.3 Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects...............................................................33 

3.2.3.4 Neurological Effects.....................................................................................................33 

3.2.3.5 Reproductive Effects....................................................................................................33 

3.2.3.6 Developmental Effects .................................................................................................33 

3.2.3.7 Cancer...........................................................................................................................33 

3.2.4 Other Routes of Exposure .....................................................................................................33 

3.3 GENOTOXICITY .....................................................................................................................34 

3.4 TOXICOKINETICS..................................................................................................................35 

3.4.1 Absorption.............................................................................................................................35 

3.4.1.1 Inhalation Exposure......................................................................................................35 

3.4.1.2 Oral Exposure...............................................................................................................36 

3.4.1.3 Dermal Exposure ..........................................................................................................37 

3.4.2 Distribution ...........................................................................................................................37 

3.4.2.1 Inhalation Exposure......................................................................................................37 

3.4.2.2 Oral Exposure...............................................................................................................38 

3.4.2.3 Dermal Exposure ..........................................................................................................39 

3.4.2.4 Other Routes of Exposure ............................................................................................39 

3.4.3 Metabolism............................................................................................................................40 

3.4.4 Elimination and Excretion.....................................................................................................40 

3.4.5 Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK)/Pharmacodynamic (PD) Models .............41 

3.5 MECHANISMS OF ACTION ..................................................................................................52 

3.5.1 Pharmacokinetic Mechanisms...............................................................................................52 

3.5.2 Mechanisms of Toxicity........................................................................................................53 

3.5.3 Animal-to-Human Extrapolations.........................................................................................54 

3.6 TOXICITIES MEDIATED THROUGH THE NEUROENDOCRINE AXIS ..........................54 

3.7 CHILDREN’S SUSCEPTIBILITY...........................................................................................55 

3.8 BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE AND EFFECT ....................................................................57 

3.8.1	 Biomarkers Used to Identify or Quantify Exposure to Tungsten and Tungsten 

 Compounds ...........................................................................................................................58 

3.8.2	 Biomarkers Used to Characterize Effects Caused by Tungsten and Tungsten 

 Compounds ...........................................................................................................................58 

3.9 INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER CHEMICALS ....................................................................58 

3.10 POPULATIONS THAT ARE UNUSUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE...............................................58 

3.11 METHODS FOR REDUCING TOXIC EFFECTS................................................................... 59 

3.11.1 Reducing Peak Absorption Following Exposure ..............................................................59 

3.11.2 Reducing Body Burden.....................................................................................................59 

3.11.3 Interfering with the Mechanism of Action for Toxic Effects ...........................................60 

3.12 ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE........................................................................................60 

3.12.1 Existing Information on Health Effects of Tungsten and Tungsten Compounds.............60 

3.12.2 Identification of Data Needs .............................................................................................62 

3.12.3 Ongoing Studies................................................................................................................71 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION................................................................................73 

4.1 CHEMICAL IDENTITY...........................................................................................................73 

4.2 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES........................................................................73 
TUNGSTEN xv 

5. PRODUCTION, IMPORT/EXPORT, USE, AND DISPOSAL............................................................83 

5.1 PRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................83 

5.2 IMPORT/EXPORT ...................................................................................................................84 

5.3 USE............................................................................................................................................85 

5.4 DISPOSAL................................................................................................................................86 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE ...........................................................................................87 

6.1 OVERVIEW..............................................................................................................................87 

6.2 RELEASES TO THE ENVIRONMENT..................................................................................90 

6.2.1 Air .........................................................................................................................................91 

6.2.2 Water.....................................................................................................................................92 

6.2.3 Soil ........................................................................................................................................92 

6.3 ENVIRONMENTAL FATE......................................................................................................94 

6.3.1 Transport and Partitioning.....................................................................................................94 

6.3.2 Transformation and Degradation ..........................................................................................95 

6.3.2.1 Air.................................................................................................................................95 

6.3.2.2 Water ............................................................................................................................96 

6.3.2.3 Sediment and Soil.........................................................................................................97 

6.3.2.4 Other Media..................................................................................................................97 

6.4 LEVELS MONITORED OR ESTIMATED IN THE ENVIRONMENT.................................98 

6.4.1 Air .........................................................................................................................................98 

6.4.2 Water.....................................................................................................................................99 

6.4.3 Sediment and Soil ...............................................................................................................101 

6.4.4 Other Environmental Media................................................................................................102 

6.5 GENERAL POPULATION AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE .....................................104 

6.6 EXPOSURES OF CHILDREN...............................................................................................109 

6.7 POPULATIONS WITH POTENTIALLY HIGH EXPOSURES ...........................................110 

6.8 ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE......................................................................................111 

6.8.1 Identification of Data Needs ...............................................................................................112 

6.8.2 Ongoing Studies ..................................................................................................................115 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS ...............................................................................................................117 

7.1 BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS.................................................................................................117 

7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES............................................................................................119 

7.3 ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE......................................................................................122 

7.3.1 Identification of Data Needs ...............................................................................................123 

7.3.2 Ongoing Studies ..................................................................................................................124 

8. REGULATIONS AND ADVISORIES ...............................................................................................125 

9. REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................131 

10. GLOSSARY ......................................................................................................................................157 
TUNGSTEN xvi 

APPENDICES 

A. ATSDR MINIMAL RISK LEVELS AND WORKSHEETS .............................................................A-1 

B. USER’S GUIDE.................................................................................................................................. B-1 

C. ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SYMBOLS...................................................................... C-1 

D. INDEX ................................................................................................................................................D-1 
TUNGSTEN xvii 

LIST OF FIGURES 

3-1. Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten – Inhalation.............................................................. 19 

3-2. Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten – Oral....................................................................... 27
 

3-3. Conceptual Representation of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Model for a 

Hypothetical Chemical Substance .................................................................................................44
 

3-4. ICRP (1981, 2001) Biokinetics Model for Tungsten.....................................................................46
 

3-5. Leggett (1997) Biokinetics Model for Tungsten............................................................................49
 

3-6. Existing Information on Health Effects of Tungsten and Tungsten Compounds..........................61
 

6-1. Frequency of NPL Sites with Tungsten Contamination ................................................................88
 

6-2. Tungsten Soil and Streambed Concentration Maps (USGS 2005)................................................89
 

 

TUNGSTEN xix 

LIST OF TABLES 

3-1. Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten – Inhalation.............................................................. 18 

3-2. Oral LD50 (mg/kg) Values for Selected Tungsten Compounds .....................................................24
 

3-3. Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten – Oral.......................................................................25
 

3-4. Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten – Dermal..................................................................32 

4-1. Chemical Identity of Tungsten and Tungsten Compounds............................................................74
 

4-2. Physical and Chemical Properties of Tungstenand Tungsten Compounds....................................78
 

6-1. Range and Average Amounts of Tungsten in the Lithosphere, Some Parent Rocks, Some
 

Soil-Added Materials, and Various Fertilizers ..............................................................................93
 

6-2. Occupations with Potential Tungsten Exposure ..........................................................................105
 

6-3. Worker Exposure to Tungsten in the Hard-Metal Industry .........................................................106
 

7-1. Analytical Methods for Determining Tungsten in Biological Materials .....................................118
 

7-2. Analytical Methods for Determining Tungsten in Environmental Samples................................120
 

8-1. Regulations and Guidelines Applicable to Tungsten...................................................................126
 

TUNGSTEN 1 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

This public health statement tells you about tungsten and the effects of exposure to it. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies the most serious hazardous waste sites in 

the nation. These sites are then placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) and are targeted for 

long-term federal clean-up activities. Tungsten has been found in at least 6 of the 1,662 current 

or former NPL sites. Although the total number of NPL sites evaluated for this substance is not 

known, the possibility exists that the number of sites at which tungsten is found may increase in 

the future as more sites are evaluated. This information is important because these sites may be 

sources of exposure and exposure to this substance may harm you. 

When a substance is released either from a large area, such as an industrial plant, or from a 

container, such as a drum or bottle, it enters the environment. Such a release does not always 

lead to exposure. You can be exposed to a substance only when you come in contact with it. 

You may be exposed by breathing, eating, or drinking the substance, or by skin contact. 

If you are exposed to tungsten, many factors will determine whether you will be harmed. These 

factors include the dose (how much), the duration (how long), and how you come in contact with 

it. You must also consider any other chemicals you are exposed to and your age, sex, diet, 

family traits, lifestyle, and state of health. 

1.1 WHAT IS TUNGSTEN? 

Tungsten is a naturally occurring element that, in most environments, is a solid. In nature, it 

occurs in rocks and soil as minerals, but never as the pure metal. Two kinds of tungsten-bearing 

mineral rocks, called wolframite and scheelite, are mined commercially. The mineral ore is 

processed to recover the tungsten and turn it into either chemical compounds or metal. 

Elemental tungsten, like elemental copper or gold, is a metal. Its color can range from tin white 

(for the pure metal) to steel gray (for metal that has impurities in it). Tungsten can be used as a 
TUNGSTEN 2 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

pure metal or mixed with other metals to make alloys. Tungsten alloys tend to be strong and 

flexible, resist wear, and conduct electricity well. Tungsten and its alloys are used as light bulb 

filaments, as the part of x-ray tubes where x-rays are formed, as a catalyst to speed up chemical 

reactions, as a component of steel in high-speed tools, in turbine blades, in phonographic 

needles, as welding electrodes, as gyroscope wheels, as counterbalance and fishing weights, in 

darts, and in golf club components. They can be used in bullets (as a replacement for lead) and 

in armor penetrators (as a substitute for depleted uranium). Chemical compounds of tungsten are 

used for many purposes. Cemented tungsten carbide, a hard substance used to make grinding 

wheels and cutting or forming tools, is the most common tungsten compound. Other tungsten 

compounds are used in ceramic pigments, as fire retardant coatings for fabrics, and as faderesistant dyes for fabrics. More information on the chemical, physical properties, production, 

and uses of tungsten and its compounds are presented in Chapters 4, 5, and 6. 

1.2 WHAT HAPPENS TO TUNGSTEN WHEN IT ENTERS THE ENVIRONMENT? 

Tungsten occurs naturally in the environment, in minerals, but not as the pure metal. As an 

element, tungsten can be neither created nor destroyed chemically, although tungsten can change 

forms in the environment. 

Tungsten is released into air as fine dust-like particles by weathering. Emissions from hard 

metal industries also increase tungsten levels in air. The amount of tungsten that has been 

measured in the ambient air is, in general, less than 10 billionths of a gram per cubic meter (or 

parts per billion [ppb]). Very small dust particles of tungsten in the air fall out onto surface 

water, plant surfaces, and soil either by themselves or when rain or snow falls. These tungsten 

particles eventually recycle back in the soil or in the bottoms of lakes, rivers, and ponds, where 

they stay and mix with tungsten that is already there. 

Tungsten in water originates mainly from dissolution of tungsten from rocks and soil that water 

runs over and through. Tungsten has not been detected in the vast majority of surface water and 

groundwaters of the United States. Some exceptions include areas near mines and natural 

deposits, and also in Churchill County (City of Fallon), in Nevada, where tungsten has been 
TUNGSTEN 3 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

detected in municipal water and groundwater. Only a very small fraction of tungsten in water 

originates from the settling of dust out of the air. Most tungsten products of human-origin that 

enter waterways originate from industry discharges of waste water. Tungsten in water may be in 

either soluble or insoluble forms. Insoluble tungsten in water can settle to the bottom where it 

enters sediment. Some insoluble tungsten compounds, however, can remain suspended in ocean 

water for many years, requiring as long as 1,000 years to settle to the bottom. 

Tungsten occurs naturally in soil as a mineral, or component of soil. It occurs in amounts that 

vary over a wide range from less than 1 to as high as 83 thousandths of a gram per kilogram of 

soil. Another way to say this is that the tungsten concentration ranges from 1 to 83 parts per 

million (ppm) in soil by weight. Disposal of coal ash, incinerator ash, and industrial wastes may 

increase the amount of tungsten in soil. A portion of tungsten in soil does not dissolve in water, 

but remains bound and is not likely to move deeper into the ground and enter groundwater. The 

remaining soluble portion may move deeper into the ground and enter groundwater if the pH is 

greater than 7. In the environment, chemical reactions can change the water-soluble tungsten 

compounds into insoluble forms. In some cases, water-insoluble tungsten compounds can 

change to soluble forms. In general, exposure to water-soluble tungsten compounds in the 

environment will pose a greater threat to human health than water-insoluble forms. More 

information about the fate and movement of tungsten in the environment is presented in 

Chapter 6. 

1.3 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO TUNGSTEN? 

You can be exposed to low levels of tungsten by breathing air, drinking water, or eating food that 

contains tungsten. The average ambient concentration of tungsten in air has been reported to be 

less than 10 nanograms in a cubic meter of air (1 nanogram is 1 billionth of a gram). Cities have 

higher levels of tungsten in the air because tungsten is released from industry. Tungsten has 

been detected in municipal water from Fallon, Nevada. However, the amounts of tungsten in 

drinking water are generally not known. This is probably because the tungsten levels are lower 

than the laboratory methods are able to detect without concentrating samples, or the laboratory 

does not measure for tungsten. The amounts in foods are generally not known, possibly for the 
TUNGSTEN 4 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

same reasons. Tungsten in plants was either taken up by the plant or was attached to the plant as 

a component of the soil. The concentration of tungsten in onions collected from Denmark is 

17 micrograms in a kilogram of fresh vegetables. Although very limited data are available, 

exposure to tungsten from air, drinking water, and food is expected to be insignificant. 

In certain workplaces, you can be exposed to levels of tungsten in air that are higher than 

background levels, which are very small or none. Exposures are mostly in the form of tungsten 

metal or tungsten carbide. Occupational exposure to tungsten occurs primarily at places where 

individuals use hard metals containing tungsten or are engaged in the machining of these metals. 

This includes the grinding (pointing) of tungsten metal welding electrodes prior to use. 

Occupational exposure to tungsten carbide occurs during the machining of tungsten carbide tools 

in the manufacturing process. The total number of individuals occupationally exposed to 

tungsten or its compounds has been estimated to be about 47,000. 

Tungsten metal and metal alloys occur in consumer products such as electronics, light bulb 

filaments, cemented tungsten carbide grinding wheels, carbide tipped tools, and “green” bullets. 

No other consumer products or products used in crafts, hobbies, or cottage industries were 

identified that contain significant amounts of tungsten. It is unlikely that tungsten present in 

consumer products poses a hazard. However, appropriate dust masks are recommended for 

amateur craftsmen engaging in activities that may potentially produce tungsten carbide dust (e.g., 

metal grinding). More information about tungsten exposure is discussed in Chapter 6. 

1.4 HOW CAN TUNGSTEN ENTER AND LEAVE MY BODY? 

Tungsten can enter your body from the food you eat or the water you drink, from the air you 

breathe, or from contact with the skin. When you eat, drink, breathe, or touch things containing 

tungsten compounds that can easily be dissolved in water, tungsten enters your blood and is 

carried to all parts of your body. Most of the tungsten that enters your blood is rapidly released 

from your body in the urine. When you eat or drink things containing tungsten, much of the 

tungsten passes through your digestive system and is released from your body in the feces. 

When you breathe air that contains tungsten, some of the tungsten moves quickly to your 
TUNGSTEN 5 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

bloodstream from the lungs, and some of the tungsten is cleared from your lungs in mucus that is 

either swallowed or spit out. When you swallow tungsten that was first in your lungs, it passes 

through your digestive system as if you had eaten it. Some enters your blood from your 

digestive system and some passes out with the feces. A small portion of the tungsten that enters 

your blood may spend some time in bone, fingernails, or hair. Some of this tungsten is slowly 

eliminated from your body through the urine and feces. 

1.5 HOW CAN TUNGSTEN AFFECT MY HEALTH? 

Scientists use many tests to protect the public from harmful effects of toxic chemicals and to find 

ways for treating persons who have been harmed. 

One way to learn whether a chemical will harm people is to determine how the body absorbs, 

uses, and releases the chemical. For some chemicals, animal testing may be necessary. Animal 

testing may also help identify health effects such as cancer or birth defects. Without laboratory 

animals, scientists would lose a basic method for getting information needed to make wise 

decisions that protect public health. Scientists have the responsibility to treat research animals 

with care and compassion. Scientists must comply with strict animal care guidelines because 

laws today protect the welfare of research animals. 

You are not likely to experience any health effects that would be related to exposure to tungsten 

or tungsten compounds. Tungsten compounds have caused breathing problems and changed 

behavior in some animals given very large amounts of tungsten compounds, but you are not 

likely to be exposed to amounts of tungsten in the air you breathe or the food or water you take 

into your body that would be large enough to cause similar effects. If you are a worker who has 

inhaled tungsten heavy metal dust, your exposure would help determine if health effects similar 

to those seen in animals might occur. 
TUNGSTEN 6 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

1.6 HOW CAN TUNGSTEN AFFECT CHILDREN? 

This section discusses potential health effects in humans from exposures during the period from 

conception to maturity at 18 years of age. 

Children could be affected in the same ways as adults. In adult animals, very large amounts of 

tungsten compounds have been shown to cause breathing problems and changes in behavior. 

However, it is not likely that children would be exposed to amounts of tungsten in the air they 

breathe or the food or water they consume that would be large enough to cause effects similar to 

those that were seen in the animals. Animal studies have shown that tungsten in the blood of a 

pregnant mother can enter the blood of a fetus in the womb. Studies in dairy cows have shown 

that tungsten may also enter the milk. There is no information to suggest that the effects seen in 

animals could not occur in humans. We do not know whether unborn babies, babies, and 

children might differ from adults in their susceptibility to health effects from exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

1.7 HOW CAN FAMILIES REDUCE THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO TUNGSTEN? 

If your doctor finds that you have been exposed to substantial amounts of tungsten, ask whether 

your children might also have been exposed. Your doctor might need to ask your state health 

department to investigate. 

Children living near waste sites containing tungsten are likely to be exposed to higher 

environmental levels of tungsten through breathing contaminated air, drinking contaminated 

water, touching soil, and eating contaminated soil. Children sometimes eat dirt, which should be 

discouraged. Parents should supervise to see that children wash their hands frequently and 

before eating. Parents should consult their family physicians about whether (and how) hand-tomouth behaviors in their children might be discouraged. If your community’s drinking water has 

been reported to contain elevated levels of tungsten, you should take advantage of alternative 

water sources such as bottled water for drinking. Some children may be exposed to tungsten by 

contact with a family member who works in a facility using tungsten or who works with tungsten 
TUNGSTEN 7 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

carbide grinding wheels. If you work at a facility that uses tungsten or have tungsten dust on 

your clothes, change your clothes and clean your hair and skin before leaving your job or work 

site and returning home. Do not bring objects home such as work tools that may be 

contaminated with tungsten. 

1.8 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN 

EXPOSED TO TUNGSTEN? 

Medical tests exist that can determine whether your body fluids contain high levels of tungsten. 

Samples of blood or feces can be collected in a doctor's office and sent to a laboratory that can 

measure tungsten levels. It is easier for most laboratories to measure tungsten in blood than in 

feces. The presence of high levels of tungsten in the feces can mean recent high tungsten 

exposure. High levels of tungsten in the blood can mean high tungsten consumption and/or high 

exposure. High tungsten levels in blood or feces reflect the level of exposure to tungsten. 

Measuring tungsten levels in urine and saliva also may provide information about tungsten 

exposure. Tests to measure tungsten in hair may provide information on long-term tungsten 

exposure. More information on tests to measure tungsten in the body is located in Chapter 7. 

1.9 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO 

PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH? 

The federal government develops regulations and recommendations to protect public health. 

Regulations can be enforced by law. The EPA, the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are some federal 

agencies that develop regulations for toxic substances. Recommendations provide valuable 

guidelines to protect public health, but cannot be enforced by law. The Agency for Toxic 

Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health (NIOSH) are two federal organizations that develop recommendations for toxic 

substances. 
TUNGSTEN 8 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

Regulations and recommendations can be expressed as “not-to-exceed” levels, that is, levels of a 

toxic substance in air, water, soil, or food that do not exceed a critical value that is usually based 

on levels that affect animals; they are then adjusted to levels that will help protect humans. 

Sometimes these not-to-exceed levels differ among federal organizations because they used 

different exposure times (an 8-hour workday or a 24-hour day), different animal studies, or other 

factors. 

Recommendations and regulations are also updated periodically as more information becomes 

available. For the most current information, check with the federal agency or organization that 

provides it. Some regulations and recommendations for tungsten include the following: 

There are few guidelines for tungsten and tungsten compounds. For tungsten and insoluble 

tungsten compounds, NIOSH has established a recommended exposure limit (REL; 10-hour time 

weighted average) of 5 mg/m3

 and a short-term exposure limit (STEL; 15-minute time weighted 

average) of 10 mg/m3

. OSHA has established permissible exposure limits (PELs; 8-hour time 

weighted average) for tungsten of 5 mg/m3 (insoluble compounds) and 1 mg/m3 (soluble 

compounds) for construction and shipyard industries. 

More information on regulations and guidelines is available in Chapter 8. 

1.10 WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? 

If you have any more questions or concerns, please contact your community or state health or 

environmental quality department, or contact ATSDR at the address and phone number below. 

ATSDR can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These 

clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses that result from exposure to 

hazardous substances. 

Toxicological profiles are also available on-line at www.atsdr.cdc.gov and on CD-ROM. You 

may request a copy of the ATSDR ToxProfilesTM CD-ROM by calling the toll-free information 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 9 

1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

and technical assistance number at 1-888-42ATSDR (1-888-422-8737), by e-mail at 

atsdric@cdc.gov, or by writing to: 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

 Division of Toxicology 

1600 Clifton Road NE 

 Mailstop F-32 

 Atlanta, GA 30333 

 Fax: 1-770-488-4178 

Organizations for-profit may request copies of final Toxicological Profiles from the following: 

National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 

5285 Port Royal Road 

 Springfield, VA 22161 

 Phone: 1-800-553-6847 or 1-703-605-6000 

 Web site: http://www.ntis.gov/ 

TUNGSTEN 11 

2. RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH 

2.1 BACKGROUND AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES TO TUNGSTEN IN THE 

UNITED STATES 

Tungsten is a naturally occurring element found in some rocks and soils. In nature, tungsten exists in 

mineral forms, but not as the pure metal. Tungsten is recovered from mineral ores to produce pure 

tungsten metal or tungsten alloys or compounds. Alloys that contain tungsten and other metals are strong 

and flexible, resist wear, and conduct electricity well. Tungsten and its alloys are used in products such 

as light bulb filaments, x-ray tubes, phonographic needles, welding electrodes, gyroscope wheels, 

counterbalance and fishing weights, darts, and golf clubs. Tungsten is also used in armor-piercing 

munitions. Tungsten alloy “green” bullets are beginning to replace lead bullets in the United States and 

other countries. Cemented tungsten carbide, a hard substance used to make grinding wheels and cutting 

or forming tools, is the most common tungsten compound. Other products that contain tungsten 

compounds include ceramic pigments and fire retardant fabric coatings and dyes. 

Tungsten is released to the atmosphere by windblown dusts and during ore processing, tungsten alloy 

(hard-metal) fabrication, tungsten carbide production and use, and municipal waste combustion. 

Tungsten enters waterways through the natural weathering of rocks and soils, by extraction and 

processing of tungsten, and via deposition of tungsten aerosols or dusts from both natural and 

anthropogenic sources. The concentration of tungsten in ambient air is <10 ng/m3

. Limited available 

information indicates that levels of tungsten in food are expected to be low. For example, onions 

collected from 11 Danish sites contained tungsten at a mean level of 16.7 μg/kg fresh weight. Levels of 

tungsten are expected to be low in most drinking water supplies in the United States. However, elevated 

concentrations of tungsten have been observed in tap water samples taken from regions of Nevada where 

relatively high tungsten levels have been noted in surface water and groundwater. For example, in 2002, 

a United States Geological Survey (USGS) study reported a mean tungsten concentration of 19.9 μg/L 

(range, 0.25–337 μg/L) in samples taken from private wells and public water supplies in Churchill 

County. A CDC study of household water samples from the Churchill County community reported 

tungsten levels ranging from 0 to 217.3 μg/L. In a follow up study, tungsten levels in the tap water of 

residents in the community of Yerington, which neighbors Churchill County, were measured at a mean 

(geometric) concentration of 3.32 μg/L (range, 1.82–6.04 μg/L), compared to a mean concentration of 
 

TUNGSTEN 12 

2. RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH 

4.46 μg/L (range, 2.98–7.30 μg/L) for Churchill County residents, indicating that elevated tungsten levels 

in tap water are not unique to Churchill County. 

The general population may be exposed to measurable amounts of tungsten by inhaling airborne tungsten. 

Tungsten blood and urine levels of 1–6 and 0.085 μg/L, respectively, have been measured in the general 

public. However, elevated levels of tungsten in the drinking water of some areas indicate potential for 

significant oral exposure as well. Based on the studies of residents in Churchill County (City of Fallon) 

and surrounding communities, the mean concentrations of tungsten in urine ranged from 0.48 to 

1.19 μg/L and appeared to correlate with the concentrations of tungsten in tap water. Individuals who 

work in manufacturing, fabricating, and reclaiming industries, especially individuals using hard metal 

materials or tungsten carbide machining tools, may be exposed to higher levels of tungsten or tungsten 

compounds than the general population. Occupational exposure is primarily via inhalation of dust 

particles of elemental (metallic) tungsten and/or its compounds. 

2.2 SUMMARY OF HEALTH EFFECTS 

Pulmonary fibrosis, memory and sensory deficits, and increased mortality due to lung cancer have been 

attributed to occupational exposure to dusts generated in the hard metal industry. Hard metal is an alloy 

or encapsulated mixture that is composed of tungsten or tungsten carbide and cobalt (primarily, although 

the alloys may also contain yttrium, thorium, copper, nickel, iron, or molybdenum). Based on the 

presence of tungsten oxide fibers in air samples taken at some hard metal facilities and demonstrations 

that tungsten oxide fibers are capable of generating hydroxyl radicals in human lung cells in vitro, it has 

been suggested that tungsten oxide fibers may contribute to the development of pulmonary fibrosis in 

hard metal workers. Historically, the respiratory and neurological effects observed in hard metal workers 

have been attributed to cobalt, not tungsten. Available epidemiological data do not implicate tungsten as 

a source of respiratory or neurological effects observed in hard metal workers. Refer to the toxicological 

profile for cobalt for a discussion of health effects associated with exposure to dusts in the hard metal 

industry. 

Limited reports associate tungsten exposure with reproductive and developmental effects such as 

decreased sperm motility, increased embryotoxicity, and delayed fetal skeletal ossification in animals. 

However, more detailed accounts of tungsten-induced reproductive and developmental toxicity were not 

located. Tungsten has been observed to cross the placental barrier and enter the fetus. Dermal or ocular 

exposure to tungsten may result in localized irritation. No adequate animal data are available to assess the 
 

TUNGSTEN 13 

2. RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH 

carcinogenic potential of tungsten or tungsten compounds. In one recent study, intramuscularlyimplanted tungsten alloy (91.1% tungsten, 6.0% nickel, and 2.9% cobalt) was shown to rapidly cause 

aggressive tumors in rats. However, since both nickel and cobalt are known to cause tumors following 

intramuscular injection in rats, the carcinogenic role of tungsten itself was not determined. Results of in 

vitro testing by one group of investigators indicate the potential for synergistic effects following exposure 

to tungsten alloys such as tungsten-cobalt-nickel and tungsten-nickel-iron. Tungsten has recently been 

nominated to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) for toxicological characterization, which includes 

carcinogenicity testing. 

2.3 MINIMAL RISK LEVELS 

Inhalation MRLs 

No inhalation MRLs were derived for tungsten or tungsten compounds since adequate data were not 

available for this route of exposure. 

Oral MRLs 

No oral MRLs were derived for tungsten or tungsten compounds due to a lack of availability of data for 

this route of exposure. This finding will be evaluated based on a review of several recently translated 

foreign articles to determine if the data they contain and the scientific method under which they were 

developed are adequate for MRL derivation. 

TUNGSTEN 15 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.1 INTRODUCTION 

The primary purpose of this chapter is to provide public health officials, physicians, toxicologists, and 

other interested individuals and groups with an overall perspective on the toxicology of tungsten. It 

contains descriptions and evaluations of toxicological studies and epidemiological investigations and 

provides conclusions, where possible, on the relevance of toxicity and toxicokinetic data to public health. 

A glossary and list of acronyms, abbreviations, and symbols can be found at the end of this profile. 

3.2 DISCUSSION OF HEALTH EFFECTS BY ROUTE OF EXPOSURE 

To help public health professionals and others address the needs of persons living or working near 

hazardous waste sites, the information in this section is organized first by route of exposure (inhalation, 

oral, and dermal), since this factor influences the body’s response to some substances, and then by health 

effect (death, systemic, immunological, neurological, reproductive, developmental, genotoxic, and 

carcinogenic effects). These data are discussed in terms of three exposure periods: acute (14 days or 

less), intermediate (15–364 days), and chronic (365 days or more). 

Levels of significant exposure for each route and duration are presented in tables and illustrated in 

figures. The points in the figures showing no-observed-adverse-effect levels (NOAELs) or lowestobserved-adverse-effect levels (LOAELs) reflect the actual doses (levels of exposure) used in the studies. 

LOAELs have been classified into "less serious" or "serious" effects. "Serious" effects are those that 

evoke failure in a biological system and can lead to morbidity or mortality (e.g., acute respiratory distress 

or death). "Less serious" effects are those that are not expected to cause significant dysfunction or death, 

or those whose significance to the organism is not entirely clear. ATSDR acknowledges that a 

considerable amount of judgment may be required in establishing whether an end point should be 

classified as a NOAEL, "less serious" LOAEL, or "serious" LOAEL, and that in some cases, there will be 

insufficient data to decide whether the effect is indicative of significant dysfunction. However, the 

Agency has established guidelines and policies that are used to classify these end points. ATSDR 

believes that there is sufficient merit in this approach to warrant an attempt at distinguishing between 

"less serious" and "serious" effects. The distinction between "less serious" effects and "serious" effects is 
TUNGSTEN 16 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

considered to be important because it helps the users of the profiles to identify levels of exposure at which 

major health effects start to appear. LOAELs or NOAELs should also help in determining whether or not 

the effects vary with dose and/or duration, and place into perspective the possible significance of these 

effects to human health. 

The significance of the exposure levels shown in the Levels of Significant Exposure (LSE) tables and 

figures may differ depending on the user's perspective. Public health officials and others concerned with 

appropriate actions to take at hazardous waste sites may want information on levels of exposure 

associated with more subtle effects in humans or animals (LOAELs) or exposure levels below which no 

adverse effects (NOAELs) have been observed. Estimates of levels posing minimal risk to humans 

(Minimal Risk Levels or MRLs) may be of interest to health professionals and citizens alike. 

A User's Guide has been provided at the end of this profile (see Appendix B). This guide should aid in 

the interpretation of the tables and figures for Levels of Significant Exposure and the MRLs. 

3.2.1 Inhalation Exposure 

Pulmonary fibrosis, memory and sensory deficits, and increased mortality due to lung cancer have been 

attributed to occupational exposure to dusts generated during the manufacture or use of high tensile 

strength tungsten (hard metal) (see Bech 1974; Bech et al. 1962; Coates and Watson 1971; Jordan et al. 

1990; Kaplun and Mezentseva 1959; Lasfargues et al. 1994; Mezentseva 1967; Miller et al. 1953; Moulin 

et al. 1998; Vengerskaya and Salikhodzhaev 1962; Wild et al. 2000). Hard metal is produced by sintering 

a mixture of powders (typically tungsten carbide and cobalt) to form a tungsten alloy. Variations can 

include the replacement of tungsten carbide with tungsten, the addition of other metals (yttrium, thorium, 

copper, nickel, iron, or molybdenum) to achieve specific metallurgical properties, and the omission of 

cobalt. The term “hard-metal disease” has been coined to describe pulmonary effects resulting from 

inhaled hard metal dust. It is generally believed that the health effects observed in hard metal workers are 

the result of exposure to cobalt (see Davison et al. 1983; Harding 1950) or other metals (e.g., nickel), not 

tungsten. Refer to the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Cobalt (Agency for Toxic Substances and 

Disease Registry 2004) and the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Nickel (Agency for Toxic Substances 

and Disease Registry 2005) for health effects information on cobalt and nickel, respectively. It has been 

suggested that tungsten carbide could increase the solubility of cobalt, effectively increasing cobaltinduced toxicity (Lasfargues et al. 1995; Lison et al. 1995, 1996), although such a mechanism has not 

been experimentally demonstrated. 
TUNGSTEN 17 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.2.1.1 Death 

No reports were located in which death in humans could be specifically associated with exposure to 

airborne tungsten or tungsten compounds. Increased mortality has been attributed to occupational 

exposure to dusts containing tungsten carbide and cobalt among hard metal workers. It is generally 

believed that the health effects observed in hard metal workers are the result of exposure to cobalt (see 

Davison et al. 1983; Harding 1950) or other metals (e.g., nickel), not tungsten. Refer to the ATSDR 

Toxicological Profile for Cobalt (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2004) and the 

ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Nickel (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2005) for 

health effects information on cobalt and nickel, respectively. 

Information in animals is restricted to reports of no deaths during 14 days following single 4-hour 

exposure of rats to atmospheres of sodium tungstate dihydrate powder at a concentration of 5.01 mg/L 

(Huntingdon Life Sciences Ltd 1999a) or tungsten metal powder at a concentration of 5.4 mg/L 

(Huntingdon Life Sciences Ltd 1999b). However, the particulate concentrations available for inhalation 

were likely much lower than those reported, due to rapid settling of the particles. Lasfargues et al. (1992) 

found intratracheally-instilled hard metal (tungsten carbide and cobalt alloy) to be more acutely lethal to 

rats than either tungsten carbide or cobalt alone. It has been suggested that tungsten carbide could 

increase the solubility of cobalt, effectively increasing cobalt-induced toxicity (Lasfargues et al. 1995; 

Lison et al. 1995, 1996), although such a mechanism has not been experimentally demonstrated. 

3.2.1.2 Systemic Effects 

Available information in humans is limited to occupational exposure to dusts containing tungsten and 

other substances such as cobalt in the hard metal industry, and reported systemic effects have been 

associated with cobalt rather than tungsten. Therefore, human data are not included in Table 3-1 and 

Figure 3-1. Reliable LOAELs for respiratory and ocular effects in animals exposed to selected tungsten 

compounds are recorded in Table 3-1 and plotted in Figure 3-1. 

No reports were located in which cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, musculoskeletal, 

hepatic, renal, endocrine, or dermal effects were associated with inhalation exposure of humans or 

animals to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 
106

600

Table 3-1 Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten - Inhalation 

a

Key to 

Figure 

Species 

(Strain) 

Exposure/ 

Duration/ 

Frequency 

(Route) System 

NOAEL 

(mg/m3) 

Less Serious 

(mg/m3) 

LOAEL 

Serious 

(mg/m3) 

Reference Chemical Form 

INTERMEDIATE EXPOSURE Systemic 

1 Rat 

(NS) 

5 mo 1hr/d Resp 600 (pulmonary fibrosis) Mezentseva 1967 

tungsten carbide 

a The number corresponds to entries in Figure 3-1 LOAEL = lowest-observed-adverse-effect level; M = male; NOAEL = no-observed-adverse-effect level; Resp = respiratory 
Respiratory 

Figure 3-1 Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten - Inhalation 

Intermediate (15-364 days) 

Systemic 

mg/m3 

1000 

1r 

100 

c-Cat -Humans f-Ferret n-Mink Cancer Effect Level-Animals Cancer Effect Level-Humans 

d-Dog k-Monkey j-Pigeon o-Other LOAEL, More Serious-Animals LOAEL, More Serious-Humans 

r-Rat m-Mouse e-Gerbil LOAEL, Less Serious-Animals LOAEL, Less Serious-Humans 

p-Pig h-Rabbit s-Hamster NOAEL - Animals NOAEL - Humans 

q-Cow a-Sheep g-Guinea Pig 
 

TUNGSTEN 20 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Respiratory Effects. Respiratory effects were reported in workers who were occupationally exposed 

to airborne dusts containing tungsten trioxide, tungsten dioxide, metallic tungsten, and tungsten carbide in 

areas where high tensile strength tungsten was prepared (Mezentseva 1967). Of 54 workers examined, 

5 exhibited early radiographic signs of pulmonary fibrosis after having been employed for 2–3 years 

(3 workers) or 19 or 24 years. The study of Mezentseva (1967) lacks critical information regarding 

smoking, medical, and work histories of the examined workers. Furthermore, other potentially hazardous 

substances may have also been present in the workplace air. It is generally believed that the health effects 

observed in hard metal workers are the result of exposure to cobalt (see Davison et al. 1983; Harding 

1950) or other metals (e.g., nickel), not tungsten. Refer to the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Cobalt 

(Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2004) and the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for 

Nickel (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2005) for health effects information on cobalt 

and nickel, respectively. See Kerley et al. (1996) and NIOSH (1977) for discussions of respiratory effects 

associated with the hard metal industry. 

Few reports were located regarding respiratory effects in animals. Signs of mild pulmonary fibrosis were 

noted in rats exposed to atmospheres containing tungsten carbide at a concentration of 600 mg/m3

, 

1 hour/day for 5 months (Mezentseva 1967). Other rats exhibited similar signs of pulmonary fibrosis 

following intratracheal instillation of metallic tungsten, tungsten trioxide, or tungsten carbide and 

subsequent observations for up to 8 months postinstillation (Mezentseva 1967). Guinea pigs that received 

3 weekly doses of tungsten metal dust or tungsten carbide and carbon dust via intratracheal instillation 

were examined for up to 12 months post treatment (Delahant 1955; Schepers 1955a, 1955b). Gross 

histological examinations of the lungs revealed pigmented lung lesions that did not appear to involve 

lymphoid tissue; the results were not suggestive of pulmonary fibrosis. The lungs of mice exhibited no 

signs of a fibrotic response following intratracheal instillation of tungsten carbide (Lardot et al. 1998). 

Lasfargues et al. (1992) reported severe acute pulmonary edema in rats that had received hard metal 

(tungsten carbide and cobalt alloy) via intratracheal instillation, but not in rats similarly exposed to 

tungsten carbide or cobalt alone. In a subsequent study of repeated intratracheal instillation (Lasfargues 

et al. 1995), it was demonstrated that intratracheally-instilled tungsten carbide and cobalt in combination, 

but not alone, induced interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. 
TUNGSTEN 21 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Ocular Effects. Signs of slight conjunctival irritation were noted in rabbits following single ocular 

instillation of 100 mg of sodium tungstate dihydrate powder or tungsten metal powder (Huntingdon Life 

Sciences Ltd 1999c, 2000). 

3.2.1.3 Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects 

No reports were located regarding immunological or lymphoreticular effects in humans or animals 

following inhalation exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

Intratracheal instillation of 250 μg of water-insoluble calcium tungstate crystals (in saline) in mice 

resulted in a marked inflammatory response characterized by infiltration of leukocytes with cellular peaks 

at days 1 and 14 postinstillation (Peão et al. 1993). The inflammatory response was likely the result of 

local irritation rather than an adverse immunological effect. 

3.2.1.4 Neurological Effects 

Signs of memory and sensory deficits have been reported among workers in the hard metal industry who 

were exposed to atmospheres of hard metal dusts (Jordan et al. 1990; Kaplun and Mezentseva 1959; 

Vengerskaya and Salikhodzhaev 1962). Cobalt was the likely causative agent, not tungsten. Potential 

contributions of dust from other metals that may have been present in the workplace air were not 

assessed. It is generally believed that the health effects observed in hard metal workers are the result of 

exposure to cobalt (see Davison et al. 1983; Harding 1950) or other metals (e.g., nickel), not tungsten. 

Refer to the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Cobalt (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

2004) and the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Nickel (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 

Registry 2005) for health effects information on cobalt and nickel, respectively. 

Information in animals is limited to a single report of a series of inhalation exposures to airborne sodium 

tungstate powder (Idiyatullina 1981). Muzzle scratching and increased activity (interpreted by the author 

as anxiety manifestations) were noted in male rats continuously exposed to atmospheres containing 

sodium tungstate powder at concentrations of 100 and 600 mg/m3

 for up to 30 days. Statistically 

significantly depressed blood cholinesterase activity (magnitude not specified in the available account of 

the original study) was noted following 18 hours of exposure at a concentration of 600 mg/m3

 and 

following 720 hours of exposure to a concentration of 10 mg/m3

. In rats exposed to concentrations of 
TUNGSTEN 22 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

0.5 and 1.0 mg/m3 for 4 months, blood cholinesterase levels were depressed by 22 and 25%, respectively, 

relative to controls, and diffuse sclerosis was noted in brain tissue. These effects were not seen at a lower 

concentration (0.1 mg/m3

). The low magnitude blood cholinesterase depression renders the results of 

questionable toxicological significance. 

3.2.1.5 Reproductive Effects 

No reports were located regarding reproductive effects in humans following inhalation exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

Decreased sperm motility (10–12% lower than controls) was reported in male rats continuously exposed 

to atmospheres containing sodium tungstate powder for 17 weeks at concentrations of 1.0 and 0.5 mg/m3

, 

but not at 0.1 mg/m3

 (Idiyatullina 1981). 

3.2.1.6 Developmental Effects 

No reports were located regarding developmental effects in humans or animals following inhalation 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

3.2.1.7 Cancer 

No reports were located in which cancer in humans or animals could be associated with inhalation 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

3.2.2 Oral Exposure 

The toxicity of ingested tungsten in humans is not known. In an early report, Kruger (1912) reported no 

adverse effects on patients administered 25–80 g of tungsten powder as a substitute for barium in 

radiological exams. Nausea, followed by seizure, 24-hour coma, temporary renal failure, and subsequent 

tubular necrosis and anuria were reported in a male subject who had accidentally consumed metallic 

tungsten in a mixture of beer and wine (Marquet et al. 1997). However, these effects could not be 

attributed to the consumption of tungsten per se. The toxicity of orally-administered tungsten has not 
TUNGSTEN 23 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

been widely studied in animals. Available reports implicate reproductive, developmental, and 

neurological effects as end points of concern following oral exposure to tungsten (Karantassis 1924; 

Nadeenko 1966; Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko et al. 1977, 1978). However, these reports 

are lacking in some study details, thus limiting their value for purposes of quantitative risk assessment. 

3.2.2.1 Death 

No reports were located in which death in humans was associated with oral exposure to tungsten or 

tungsten compounds. 

Acute oral exposure to tungsten does not appear to be a particular toxicity concern, based on acute oral 

LD50 values ranging from 240 to 11,300 mg/kg/day for several soluble tungsten compounds (Table 3-2). 

Death was reported in guinea pigs following single oral (gavage) administration of sodium tungstate at 

doses ≥780 mg/kg (Karantassis 1924). Concentrations of 2.0% tungsten (as sodium tungstate), 4% 

tungsten (as tungstic oxide), or 5.0% tungsten (as ammonium paratungstate), in the daily diet of rats 

resulted in 100% mortality within 10 days following the initiation of test diet (Kinard and Van de Erve 

1941). Diets containing the equivalent of 0.5% tungsten (as sodium tungstate, tungstic oxide, or 

ammonium paratungstate) resulted in mortality of 3/6 males and 4/6 females, 4/5 males and 5/5 females, 

and 0/5 males and 0/5 females, respectively. No deaths occurred in rats receiving 0.1% tungsten (as 

sodium tungstate or tungstic oxide) in the diet for 70 days. In another study, no deaths were reported in 

rats administered diets containing as much as 10% tungsten metal powder for 70 days (Kinard and Van de 

Erve 1943). Approximately 15% decreases in longevity were observed in male, but not female, rats 

administered tungsten (as sodium tungstate) in the drinking water at a concentration of 5 mg/L for life (up 

to 3 years) (Schroeder and Mitchener 1975a, 1975b). 

Available information regarding mortality and LD50 values in animals orally exposed to selected tungsten 

compounds is recorded in Table 3-3 and plotted in Figure 3-2. 

3.2.2.2 Systemic Effects 

No human data were located in which systemic toxicity could be associated with oral exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. Reliable NOAELs and LOAELs for body weight changes in animals 

orally exposed to tungsten or tungsten compounds are recorded in Table 3-3 and plotted in Figure 3-2. 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 24 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Table 3-2. Oral LD50 (mg/kg) Values for Selected Tungsten Compounds 

Species 

Mouse 

Tungstic trioxide 

NA 

Sodium tungstate 

240±13.5a 

Ammonium-ptungstate 

NA 

Sodium 

phosphotungsten 

700±79a 

Rat 840a 1,190±129.5a 11,300b 1,600±201a 

Rabbit NA 875a NA NA 

Guinea pig NA 1,152a NA NA 

a

Nadeenko 1966 

b

Smyth et al. 1969 

LD50 = dose of substance causing death in 50% of population; NA = not available 
133

1190

138

1600

159

840

132

11300

136

240

137

700

135

1152

134

875

119

2000

120

500

Table 3-3 Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten - Oral 

a

Key to 

Figure 

Species 

(Strain) 

Exposure/ 

Duration/ 

Frequency 

(Route) 

ACUTE EXPOSURE Death 

1 Rat 

(NS) 

Once (NS) 

System 

NOAEL 

(mg/kg/day) 

Less Serious 

(mg/kg/day) 

LOAEL 

Serious 

(mg/kg/day) 

1190 (LD50) 

Reference Chemical Form 

Nadeenko 1966 sodium tungstate 

2 Rat Once 1600 (LD50) Nadeenko 1966 

sodium phosphotungsta

3 Rat 

(NS) 

Once (NS) 840 (LD50) Nadeenko 1966 tungstic trioxide 

4 Rat 

(Wistar) 

Once (G) 11300 M (LD50) Smyth et al. 1969 ammonium paratungsta

5 Mouse Once 240 (LD50) Nadeenko 1966 

sodium tungstate 

6 Mouse Once 700 (LD50) Nadeenko 1966 

sodium phosphotungsta

7 Gn Pig Once 1152 (LD50) Nadeenko 1966 

sodium tungstate 

8 Rabbit Once 

INTERMEDIATE EXPOSURE Death 

9 Rat 

(NS) 

70 d (F) 

875 (LD50) 

2000 (80% mortality) 

Nadeenko 1966 sodium tungstate Kinard and Van de Erve ammonium paratungsta

10 Rat 

(NS) 

70 d (F) 500 (80% mortality) Kinard and Van de Erve 

tungstic oxide 
Table 3-3 Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten - Oral (continued) 

a

Key to 

Figure 

Species 

(Strain) 

Exposure/ 

Duration/ 

Frequency 

(Route) System 

NOAEL 

(mg/kg/day) 

LOAEL 

Reference Chemical Form Less Serious (mg/kg/day) Serious (mg/kg/day) 

11 Rat 70 d 

(NS) (F) 

121

Systemic 

12 Rat 70 d 

(F) 

123

CHRONIC EXPOSURE Systemic 

13 Rat Lifetime 

(Long- Evans) (W) 

126

Bd Wt Bd Wt 

825676500.751

8256 M 

b

7650 F 

b

0.75 M 

1 F 

500

500 (mortality of 3/6 males 

and 4/6 females) 

Kinard and Van de Erve sodium tungstate Kinard and Van de Erve metallic tungsten Schroeder and Mitchen1975a sodium tungstate 

a The number corresponds to entries in Figure 3-2 b Differences in levels of health effects and cancer effects between male and females are not indicated in Figure 3-2. Where such differences exist, only the levels most sensitive gender are presented. Bd Wt = body weight; F = female; (F) = feed; LD50 = dose producing 50% death; LOAEL = lowest-observed-adverse-effect level; M = male; NOAEL = no-observedlevel; (NS) = not specified; (W) = drinking water 
Death 

Death Body WBody W

eight 

eight 

Figure 3-2. Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten - Oral
	

Acute (≤14 days) Intermediate (15-364 days) 

Systemic 

mg/kg/day 

100000 

4r 10000 

12r 

9r 2r 

7g 1r 1000 3r 8h 6m 

10r 11r 

5m
	

100
	

10 

1 

0.1 

c-Cat 

d-Dog

r-Rat 

p-Pig

q-Cow

 -Humans 

k-Monkey

m-Mouse 

h-Rabbit 

a-Sheep 

f-Ferret 

j-Pigeon

e-Gerbil 

s-Hamster 

g-Guinea Pig 

n-Mink 

o-Other

 Cancer Effect Level-Animals

 LOAEL, More Serious-Animals

LOAEL, Less Serious-Animals

 NOAEL - Animals

 Cancer Effect Level-Humans

 LOAEL, More Serious-Humans

LOAEL, Less Serious-Humans

 NOAEL - Humans

 LD50/LC50

Minimal Risk Level

 for effects

 other than

 Cancer 

Chronic (≥365 days)
	

Systemic
	

13r 
TUNGSTEN 28 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

No reports were located in which respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, 

musculoskeletal, hepatic, endocrine, dermal, or ocular effects were associated with oral exposure of 

humans or animals to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

Renal Effects. Available information in humans is restricted to an account of temporary renal failure 

and subsequent tubular necrosis and anuria in a male subject 1 day following the accidental consumption 

of metallic tungsten in a mixture of beer and wine that had been poured into the hot barrel of a 155-mm 

gun (Marquet et al. 1997). The author estimated the absorbed dose of tungsten to be in the range of 5– 

12 mg/kg. The subject fully recovered. The renal effects could not be attributed to tungsten per se, and 

Lison et al. (1997) suggested that nitroaromatics used as propellants for large caliber ammunition may 

have contributed to the renal toxicity. 

No information was located regarding renal effects in animals following oral exposure to tungsten or 

tungsten compounds. 

Body Weight Effects. No information was located regarding body weight effects in humans 

following oral exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

Available information regarding tungsten-induced body weight effects in animals is limited to reports by 

a single group of investigators (Kinard and Van de Erve 1941, 1943). Reduced body weight gains were 

noted in rats exposed to sublethal concentrations of tungsten (0.5%, as ammonium paratungstate; 0.1%, as 

sodium tungstate or tungstic oxide) in the diet for 70 days (Kinard and Van de Erve 1941). Body weight 

gain in these treated groups ranged from 3.9 to 10.6% lower than respective controls. Weight gain in 

female rats, administered a diet that included 10% tungsten (as insoluble tungsten metal) for 70 days, was 

approximately 15.5% less than that of controls; weight gain in similarly dosed male rats was described as 

“normal” (Kinard and Van de Erve 1941). The authors stated that diets containing 2 or 5% tungsten (as 

tungsten metal) were “without marked effect” on growth. Statistically significantly increased body 

weights were noted at some time points in male and female rats administered tungsten (as sodium 

tungstate) in the drinking water at a concentration of 5 mg/L for a lifetime (Schroeder and Mitchener 

1975a). Since the body weights were less than 10% higher than controls and were only seen in males at 

180–540 days of treatment and in females at the 360-day examination period, the increased body weight 

is not considered to be biologically significant. 
TUNGSTEN 29 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.2.2.3 Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects 

No reports were located regarding immunological or lymphoreticular effects in humans or animals 

following oral exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

3.2.2.4 Neurological Effects 

Information in humans is restricted to a single account of nausea, followed by seizure and 24-hour coma 

in a male subject who had accidentally consumed metallic tungsten in a mixture of beer and wine that had 

been poured into the hot barrel of a 155-mm gun (Marquet et al. 1997). The author estimated the 

absorbed dose of tungsten to be in the range of 5–12 mg/kg. The subject fully recovered. 

Available early animal data indicate that orally administered tungsten may induce neurological effects. 

Guinea pigs exhibited clinical signs that included trembling and abnormal locomotor behavior following 

single oral (gavage) administration of sodium tungstate at ultimately lethal doses (≥780 mg/kg) 

(Karantassis 1924). Decreased blood cholinesterase activity and impaired conditioned reflexes were 

reported in rats orally exposed to sodium tungstate at doses in the range of 0.05–5.0 mg/kg/day for 

7 months (Nadeenko 1966). Deficiencies in study details render the results of this Russian study of 

limited value for purposes of quantitative risk assessment. 

3.2.2.5 Reproductive Effects 

No information was located regarding reproductive effects in humans following oral exposure to tungsten 

or tungsten compounds. 

Information in animals is limited to reports of embryotoxicity in rats following oral administration of an 

unspecified tungsten compound at dose levels as low as 0.005 mg/kg for up to 8 months before and 

during pregnancy (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko et al. 1977, 1978). However, these reports 

are lacking in some study details, thus limiting their value for purposes of quantitative risk assessment. 
TUNGSTEN 30 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.2.2.6 Developmental Effects 

No information was located regarding developmental effects in humans following oral exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

Information in animals is limited to reports of delayed fetal skeletal ossification following oral exposure 

to tungsten at reported dose levels as low as 0.005 mg/kg to pregnant rat dams (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 

1977; Nadeenko et al. 1977, 1978). However, these reports are lacking in some study details, thus 

limiting their value for purposes of quantitative risk assessment. 

3.2.2.7 Cancer 

Information regarding the carcinogenicity of ingested tungsten in humans is restricted to a single report of 

the Center for Disease Control (CDC 2003b) in which no statistically significant association (odds ratio 

0.78, p-value 0.57) was found between exposure to tungsten in the drinking water and leukemia observed 

in a population of Churchill County, Nevada. 

Gross tumor incidences in rats administered tungsten (as sodium tungstate) in the drinking water at a 

concentration of 5 mg/L for life were similar to those of controls (Schroeder and Mitchener 1975a). Male 

rats administered sodium tungstate (100 ppm) in the drinking water for 19 or 30 weeks did not exhibit 

treatment-related evidence of carcinoma in the esophagus or forestomach; nor did sodium tungstate 

treatment enhance the carcinogenic effect of N-nitrososarcosine ethyl ester, a chemical known to induce 

esophageal cancer in rats (Luo et al. 1983). In a study designed to assess the effect of systemic sulfite on 

benzo[a]pyrene-induced lung carcinoma in rats, Gunnison et al. (1988) administered sodium tungstate to 

induce sulfite oxidase deficiency, thus increasing systemic sulfite. In this study, sodium tungstate did not 

statistically significantly affect the initiation of squamous cell carcinoma of the respiratory tract of 

benzo[a]pyrene-treated rats or incidences of mammary gland tumors. Results of Wei et al. (1987) 

indicated that tungsten may act as a tumor promoter in rats administered 150 ppm of tungsten in the 

drinking water followed by intravenous injection of the known carcinogen, N-nitroso-N-methylurea. 
TUNGSTEN 31 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.2.3 Dermal Exposure 

3.2.3.1 Death 

No reports were located in which death in humans was associated with dermal exposure to tungsten or 

tungsten compounds. 

Available information in animals was limited to a single report of death in 0/2, 2/2, and 2/2 rabbits 

following dermal application of a 5% tungsten chloride solution in single doses of 100, 200, and 

1,000 mg/kg, respectively (Dow Chemical Company 1982). The results of this study are recorded in 

Table 3-4. 

3.2.3.2 Systemic Effects 

No reports were located in which respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, 

musculoskeletal, hepatic, renal, endocrine, or body weight effects were associated with dermal exposure 

of humans or animals to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

Dermal Effects. No reports were located in which dermal exposure to tungsten compounds in humans 

could be associated with dermal effects. Although dermatitis has been reported among employees of the 

hard metal industry, results of patch testing implicated cobalt, not tungsten (Schwartz et al. 1945; Skog 

1963). 

In the only available report of dermal effects in animals following dermal exposure to tungsten, single or 

repeated dermal application of a 5% tungsten chloride solution in rabbits resulted in contact dermatitis 

(Dow Chemical Company 1982). The results of this study are recorded in Table 3-4. 

Ocular Effects. No reports were located in which dermal exposure to tungsten compounds in humans 

could be associated with ocular effects. 

Instillation of a 5% tungsten chloride solution into the rabbit eye resulted in conjunctivitis, iritis, and 

corneal haziness that resolved within 14 days postinstillation (Dow Chemical 1982). The results of this 

study are recorded in Table 3-4. 
141

Percent (%)

142

Percent (%)

143

mg/kg

Table 3-4 Levels of Significant Exposure to Tungsten - Dermal 

Species 

(Strain) 

Exposure/ 

Duration/ 

Frequency 

(Route) 

ACUTE EXPOSURE 

Other 

(NS) Rabbit 

System NOAEL Less Serious 

5 (temporary ocular 

Percent (%) irritation) 

LOAEL 

Serious 

Reference Chemical Form 

Dow Chemical Compantungsten chloride 

(NS) Rabbit NS 

5 (contact dermatitis) 

Percent (%) 

Dow Chemical Compantungsten chloride 

(NS) Rabbit Once 

200 

mg/kg 

(mortality in 2/2 rabbits) Dow Chemical Compan

tungsten chloride 

LOAEL = lowest-observed-adverse-effect level; M = male; NOAEL = no-observed-adverse-effect level; (NS) = not specified 
TUNGSTEN 33 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

No reports were located regarding the following health effects in humans or animals following dermal 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds: 

3.2.3.3 Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects 

3.2.3.4 Neurological Effects 

3.2.3.5 Reproductive Effects 

3.2.3.6 Developmental Effects 

3.2.3.7 Cancer 

3.2.4 Other Routes of Exposure 

No reports were located in which systemic (other than possible hematological effects), neurological, or 

reproductive effects were associated with exposure of humans or animals to tungsten or tungsten 

compounds by routes other than inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure. 

Death. Parenteral injection studies that have been performed using laboratory animals were designed 

to establish lethal doses of tungsten compounds and to assess the efficacy of methods to reduce toxicity 

(see also Section 3.11). An LD50 value of 500 mg/kg was reported for intraperitoneally injected tungsten 

metal in rats; tungsten carbide was considered to be essentially inert, although dose levels were not 

included in the report (Fredrick and Bradley 1946). An LD50 was between 140 and 160 mg/kg for 

tungsten (as sodium tungstate) subcutaneously injected into 66-day-old rats; younger rats appeared to be 

less sensitive (Kinard and Van de Erve 1940). Intramuscular injection of a 10% aqueous solution of 

sodium tungstate in rats (Sivjakov and Braun 1959) and rabbits (Lusky et al. 1949) resulted in LD50 

values of 220.6 and 105 mg/kg, respectively. 

Hematological Effects. The results of Kalinich et al. (2005) indicate the potential for tungsten alloyinduced hematotoxicity (expressed by increases in leukocyte and erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin, and 

hematocrit). However, since the tungsten alloy pellets consisted of nickel and cobalt in addition to 

tungsten, the role of tungsten in the observed effects is not known. Results of in vitro testing by one 

group of investigators (Miller et al. 2001, 2002) indicate the potential for synergistic effects following 

exposure to tungsten alloys such as tungsten-cobalt-nickel and tungsten-nickel-iron. 
 

TUNGSTEN 34 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects. The results of Kalinich et al. (2005) indicate the 

potential for tungsten alloy-induced immunotoxicity (expressed by increased spleen weight and decreased 

thymus weight). However, since the tungsten alloy pellets consisted of nickel and cobalt in addition to 

tungsten, the role of tungsten in the observed effects is not known. Results of in vitro testing by one 

group of investigators (Miller et al. 2001, 2002) indicate the potential for synergistic effects following 

exposure to tungsten alloys such as tungsten-cobalt-nickel and tungsten-nickel-iron. 

Developmental Effects. Wide (1984) assessed the potential for tungsten to induce developmental 

toxicity in mice. Pregnant dams were administered a single intravenous injection (0.1 mL) of a 25 mM 

sodium tungstate solution on gestation day 8. Although there was no indication of tungsten-induced fetal 

malformations at examination on gestation day 17, a significantly increased incidence of resorptions was 

noted. 

Cancer. Kalinich et al. (2005) recently assessed the potential health consequences of intramuscularly 

implanted weapons-grade tungsten alloy pellets in male F344 rats. Within 4–5 months, all of the tungsten 

alloy-implanted (n=92) rats developed extremely aggressive localized tumors (high-grade pleomorphic 

rhabdomyosarcomas) that rapidly metastasized to the lungs, necessitating euthanasia. No tumors were 

found in a group of 46 rats implanted with an inert control metal (tantalum), even up to 12 months 

postimplantation. The tungsten alloy pellets consisted of 91.1% tungsten, 6% nickel, and 2.9% cobalt. 

Kalinich et al. (2005) also embedded 36 rats with nickel pellets to serve as positive controls for the 

tungsten-alloy embedded rats since intramuscularly-injected nickel has previously been demonstrated to 

cause injection-site tumors (Heath and Daniel 1964). All of the nickel-embedded rats developed tumors 

similar to those observed in the tungsten alloy-embedded rats (Kalinich et al. 2005). Previous 

experiments with intramuscularly-injected cobalt have also demonstrated a carcinogenic effect (Heath 

1954, 1956). Since both nickel and cobalt, components of the tungsten-alloy pellets used by Kalinich et 

al. (2005), are known to be carcinogenic when injected intramuscularly, the potential role of tungsten in 

the carcinogenic effect of the tungsten alloy pellets used by Kalinich et al. (2005) could not be 

determined. 

3.3 GENOTOXICITY 

The genotoxic potential of tungsten and tungsten compounds has not been extensively assessed. Sodium 

tungstate demonstrated mutagenic activity in a bacterial bioluminescence test in Photobacterium fischeri 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 35 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

(Pf-13) (Ulitzur and Barak 1988). Sodium tungstate induced lambda prophage in Escherichia coli 

WP2s (λ) (Rossman et al. 1984, 1991) and gene conversion at trp 5 and reverse mutation at ilv 1 in 

Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain D7 (Singh 1983), and increased recombinant frequency in strain DIS13 

(Sora et al. 1986). Positive results were obtained for tungstate anion in Chinese hamster lung V79 cells 

using the HGPRT forward mutation assay (Zelikoff et al. 1986). Tungsten (form not specified) enhanced 

mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 and Ames mixed strains (TA7001-7006) 

(Miller and Page 1999). 

Sodium tungstate did not increase sister chromatid exchanges in human whole blood cultures or cause 

chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes or Syrian hamster embryo cells (Larramendy et al. 1981). 

The chemical did not induce morphological transformation in Syrian hamster cells (DiPaolo and Casto 

1979). 

Dose- and time-dependent increases in DNA single strand breaks (comet and alkaline elution tests) and 

micronucleus induction were observed in human peripheral lymphocytes incubated in either tungsten 

carbide cobalt alloy or cobalt alone, but not in tungsten carbide alone (Anard et al. 1997; Van Goethem 

1997). In each of these tests, the genotoxic effect of the tungsten carbide cobalt alloy was greater than 

that of cobalt alone, which is consistent with a suggestion that physicochemical properties of the alloy 

may result in increased production of hydroxyl radicals (see also Section 3.5.2). Using human osteoblast 

cells, Miller et al. (2001) found that heavy metal-tungsten alloys composed of tungsten (92%), nickel 

(5%), and either cobalt (3%) or iron (3%) are capable of inducing neoplastic transformation 

(characterized by anchorage-dependent growth, tumor formation in nude mice, and expression of high 

levels of the K-ras oncogene), as well as increased DNA strand breakage and micronuclei at rates 

exceeding that of nickel sulfide (a well-known transforming agent and carcinogen). More recently, Miller 

et al. (2004) demonstrated that pure tungsten is capable of inducing a similar effect, but at a significantly 

reduced magnitude relative to the heavy metal-tungsten alloys. 

3.4 TOXICOKINETICS 

3.4.1 Absorption 

3.4.1.1 Inhalation Exposure 

No quantitative data were located concerning absorption of tungsten in humans following inhalation 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, absorption of airborne tungsten was indicated by 
TUNGSTEN 36 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

a report that tungsten levels in urine, toenails, and hair of workers occupationally exposed to airborne 

tungsten were higher than those of controls without known inhalation exposure (Nicolaou et al. 1987). 

Available animal data, derived primarily from studies that employed radioactive tungsten isotopes that are 

identical to their respective nonradioactive isotopes with respect to toxicokinetics, demonstrate absorption 

following exposure to airborne tungsten. Beagle dogs were exposed (nose only) once (duration 

unspecified) to particulate aerosols of tungstic oxide (181WO3) (Aamodt 1975). Inhaled radioactivity was 

determined to range from 1.9 to 8 μCi and the inhaled radioactivity exhibited an activity median 

aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) of 0.7 μm and a geometric standard deviation of 1.5 μm. An estimated 

60% of the inhaled radioactivity was deposited in the respiratory tract, approximately half of which was 

contained in the tracheobronchial and pulmonary regions. These estimates were based on periodic 

measurements of radioactivity in inspired versus expired air, in the lung region versus the lower body, and 

in the urine and feces. An estimated 33% of the radioactivity deposited in the lung was absorbed directly 

into the blood, most of which had entered the blood within the first 10 days following exposure. Based 

on measurements of radioactivity in the urine and feces, an estimated 66% of the initial lung burden was 

cleared to the gastrointestinal tract via the ciliary escalator system. Comparison with results of the 

investigator’s ingestion experiment using a single beagle dog indicated that one-fourth of the radioactivity 

entering the gastrointestinal tract may have been absorbed to the blood. Therefore, about half of the 

amount that was initially deposited in the lungs, corresponding to about one-third of the inhaled amount, 

may have eventually been absorbed to blood. 

3.4.1.2 Oral Exposure 

No quantitative data were located concerning absorption of tungsten in humans following oral exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, total intake and urinary and fecal excretion of tungsten and 

other nonessential elements were recorded for four healthy human volunteers given controlled diets for 

5 days (Wester 1974). Assuming that the subjects were in tungsten balance, that the intake was primarily 

via the diet, and that daily urinary excretion of tungsten (approximately 6 μg/day) was proportional to the 

daily intake (approximately 10 μg/day), approximately 60% of the ingested tungsten appeared to have 

been absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Additional indication of the absorption of ingested tungsten 

derives from the findings of high concentrations of tungsten in blood, urine, hair, and nail samples of a 

19-year-old male who had consumed a mixture of beer and wine that contained a high concentration of 

metallic tungsten (Marquet et al. 1997). The tungsten concentrations were measured by inductively 
TUNGSTEN 37 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

coupled plasma (ICP) emission-spectrometry, a procedure that did not detect tungsten in samples taken 

from individuals without known exposure to tungsten at levels above normal background. 

Results of animal studies suggest that tungsten is readily absorbed following oral administration of 

soluble tungsten compounds. In rats, approximately 40% of an orally administered dose of 185W sodium 

tungstate (Na2WO4) was collected in the 24-hour urine (Ballou 1960; Kaye 1968). Approximately 25% 

of the activity in a single gavage dose of tungstic oxide was excreted in the urine of a single dog (Aamodt 

1975), which indicates that tungsten is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of the dog as well. 

Poucheret et al. (2000) and LeLamer et al. (2000) assessed the absorption of tungsten (as sodium 

tungstate) following single oral administration in rats (36 mg sodium tungstate/kg) and dogs (25 mg 

sodium tungstate/kg) by plotting plasma tungsten concentrations at a number of time points (up to 

24 hours) postadministration and comparing the area under the curve (AUC) in each plot to that obtained 

from species-specific animals that had received single intravenously-administered doses of 8.97 mg 

sodium tungstate/kg. Using this approach, absorption of tungsten was calculated to approximate 92% in 

the rat and 65% in the dog. Absorption of tungsten was calculated to approximate 55% during repeated 

oral dosing of dogs at 5–20 mg sodium tungstate/kg, 3 times/day for 13 weeks (LeLamer et al. 2001). 

3.4.1.3 Dermal Exposure 

No studies were located regarding absorption of tungsten in humans or animals following dermal 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, the report of death in rabbits following dermal 

application of a 5% tungsten chloride solution in single doses of 100–1,000 mg/kg (Dow Chemical 

Company 1982) indicates that dermal absorption of tungsten occurs to some extent. 

3.4.2 Distribution 

3.4.2.1 Inhalation Exposure 

No reports were located regarding quantifiable distribution of tungsten in humans following inhalation 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, when compared to controls without known 

occupational exposure to tungsten, higher levels of tungsten in hair and nails of workers occupationally 

exposed to airborne tungsten serves as indication that inhaled tungsten may be distributed to these sites 

(Nicolaou et al. 1987). 
 

TUNGSTEN 38 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Beagle dogs were exposed (nose only) once (duration unspecified) to particulate aerosols of tungstic 

oxide (181WO3) (Aamodt 1975). Inhaled radioactivity was determined to range from 1.9 to 8 μCi, and the 

inhaled radioactivity exhibited a mean aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) of 0.7 μm and a geometric 

standard deviation of 1.5 μm. Approximately 70% of the initial tungsten lung burden, which was 

estimated to have been approximately 60% of the inhaled radioactivity, was removed with a half-time of 

4 hours. Another 20–25% was removed with a half-time of 20 hours, and approximately 5% with a halftime of 6.3 days. A small amount of tungsten may have been retained by the lung for months. 

Approximately 33% of the tungsten that was removed from the lung entered the blood directly. An 

estimated 66% was transported upwards via mucociliary action and swallowed, most of which was 

subsequently excreted in the feces. At sacrifice (approximately 165 days postexposure), the average body 

burden calculated from organ and tissue samples was 0.017 (1.7%) of the inhaled activity. The highest 

concentrations were in the lungs and kidneys. Radioactivity measured in bone, gall bladder, liver, and 

spleen was approximately 10-fold lower than that of lungs and kidneys. Measurable activity was also 

found in decreasing concentration in testes, pancreas, large intestine, small intestine, diaphragm, stomach, 

heart, and skeletal muscle, respectively. In terms of total activity in individual organs and tissues, activity 

was highest in bone (37% of the body burden at sacrifice), followed by lung (31%), kidneys (15%), liver 

(9.7%), and skeletal muscle (5.7%). 

3.4.2.2 Oral Exposure 

No reports were located regarding quantifiable distribution of tungsten in humans following oral exposure 

to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, findings of measurable levels of tungsten in blood, urine, 

hair, and nail samples, taken from a 19-year-old male who had consumed a mixture of beer and wine that 

contained a high concentration of metallic tungsten (Marquet et al. 1997), indicated that ingested tungsten 

is absorbed by the blood and distributed systemically. The presence of tungsten in the urine of subjects 

who voluntarily consumed diets that were supplemented with tungsten is further indication that ingested 

tungsten is distributed systemically (Wester 1974). 

Results of animal studies indicate that orally administered tungsten (in soluble form) rapidly enters the 

blood and is distributed via systemic circulation. In rats, most of the radioactivity in an initial oral 

(gavage) dose of sodium tungstate (activity of 34.3 μCi) had been eliminated in the first 24 hours 

postadministration (Ballou 1960). However, approximately 2% of the initial radioactivity was retained. 

On day 1 postadministration, the highest concentrations of radioactivity were measured in the 

gastrointestinal tract, followed by spleen, kidneys, pelt, and skeleton. Measurable concentrations were 
TUNGSTEN 39 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

also noted in liver > ovaries > pancreas > lung > heart > blood > fat > muscle. At 102 days 

postadministration, the highest concentrations of retained radioactivity were in the spleen and skeleton. 

Total skeletal deposition was about 0.4% of the administered dose. 

Similar results were reported by Kaye (1968). Rats were administered single gavage doses of solutions 

containing radiotungsten (187W or 185W) as tungstate. Distribution and elimination of radioactivity was 

examined for 72 hours (187W) or 254 days (185W) postadministration. During the first 24 hours following 

dosing, virtually all of the radioactivity measured in the blood was associated with the plasma portion. 

During the next 2 days of measurements, radioactivity appeared in the cellular portion and accounted for 

approximately two-thirds of the radioactivity in the blood 72 hours following dosing, at which time, 

approximately 97% of the initially administered dose of radiotungsten had been eliminated from the body. 

During the first week after dosing, highest concentrations of radiotungsten in soft tissues were observed in 

spleen, hair, kidney, uterus, liver, prostate, and ovary. After 100 days, >99% of the remaining total body 

burden (approximately 0.4% of the administered dose) was retained in bone. 

Results of an earlier rat study (Kinard and Aull 1945) also indicated that bone and spleen retained the 

highest concentrations of tungsten following dietary administration of tungsten (as tungstic oxide, sodium 

tungstate, ammonium paratungstate, or tungsten metal) for 100 days. 

3.4.2.3 Dermal Exposure 

No studies were located regarding distribution of tungsten in humans or animals following dermal 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, a report of death in rabbits following a single 

dermal application of a 5% tungsten chloride solution (Dow Chemical Company 1982) is evidence of 

systemic distribution of dermally-applied tungsten. 

3.4.2.4 Other Routes of Exposure 

Intravenous injection studies of radiotungsten (Na2

181WO4) support the results of inhalation and oral 

studies (Ando et al. 1989; Wase 1955; Wide et al. 1986). Three hours postadministration, levels of 

radiotungsten in rats were as follows: kidney > bone > liver >lung > adrenal > spleen > pancreas > blood 

> thymus > cardiac muscle > skeletal muscle > brain (Ando et al. 1989). At 48 hours postadministration, 

the highest levels of radiotungsten were found in bone > kidney > lung and liver > spleen. Lesser 
TUNGSTEN 40 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

amounts were noted in the other examined tissues and organs. Eight hours following intraperitoneal 

injection of 185W (as K2

185WO4) in mice, relative concentrations of radioactivity were: bone > 

gastrointestinal tract > spleen > kidney > red blood cells > heart > lung > liver > plasma > brain (Wase 

1955). After 48 hours postadministration, nearly all of the measurable radioactivity was in the bone. 

Wide et al. (1986) demonstrated that intravenously injected tungstate (185W) readily crossed the placenta 

of pregnant rats and was distributed to the fetus. Embryonic uptake was greater in dams injected at later 

stages of gestation (day 17) as opposed to earlier stages (day 8 or 12). Radiotungsten accumulated in yolk 

sac epithelium at all examined gestational stages. The highest level of fetal retention was noted in the 

skeleton. 

3.4.3 Metabolism 

Tungsten ion in the body is not known to be metabolized. It has been postulated that tungsten may 

preferentially occupy enzyme sites normally reserved for the essential element, molybdenum, because 

sodium tungstate has been shown to antagonize the normal metabolic action of molybdate in its role as 

cofactor for the enzymes xanthanine dehydrogenase (Higgins et al. 1956a, 1956b), sulfite oxidase, and 

aldehyde oxidase (Johnson and Rajagopalan 1974), and xanthine oxidase secretion to milk (Owen and 

Proudfoot 1968) in animal systems. See Section 3.5.2 for detailed information regarding mechanisms of 

tungsten-induced toxicity. 

3.4.4 Elimination and Excretion 

Elimination and excretion of tungsten is discussed without subdividing data according to route of 

exposure. Once tungsten has been systemically distributed following inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure 

or parenteral injection, the pattern of elimination is similar across exposure routes. 

Information concerning elimination and excretion of tungsten in humans is limited to findings of 

measurable amounts of tungsten in urine of individuals exposed to tungsten either in the workplace air 

(see Barborik 1972; Nicolaou et al. 1987) or by controlled (Wester 1974) or accidental (Marquet et al. 

1997) ingestion of tungsten. 
TUNGSTEN 41 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Inhalation, oral, and parenteral injection studies in laboratory animals all indicate that absorbed tungsten 

is rapidly eliminated from the blood and quickly excreted in large quantities in the urine. Combined 

urinary and fecal excretion of radiotungsten from dogs following inhalation exposure to particulate 

aerosols of 181WO3 was described by three exponential components (Aamodt 1975). Approximately 90% 

of the inhaled radioactivity was removed with a biological half-time of about 14 hours; 6% with a halftime of 5.8 days, and 4% with a half-time of 63 days. The average urine to fecal ratio was 1.14 for the 

100 days of postexposure measurements, including the portion of tungsten that entered the blood directly 

from the lungs (approximately 33% of the deposited dose) as well as that which was deposited in the 

gastrointestinal tract via mucociliary clearance (approximately 66% of the initial lung burden). 

Radiotungsten was rapidly excreted from rats following oral dosing (Kaye 1968). In a study of rats 

administered single gavage doses of 185W and followed for 72 hours, approximately 40% of the 

administered dose of radiotungsten had been eliminated in the urine in the first 12 hours 

postadministration; an additional 3% was eliminated during the subsequent 60 hours. The initial rate of 

fecal excretion was lower than that of urinary excretion; however, by 72 hours, fecal excretion had 

accounted for approximately 53% of the administered dose. Thus, 72-hour urinary and fecal excretion 

accounted for 97% of the administered dose. Other rats were similarly administered 185W and followed 

for up to 254 days. During the first 3 days following dosing, approximately 36 and 39% of the 

administered dose had been recovered in the urine and feces, respectively. By day 33 postadministration, 

radiotungsten could no longer be detected in the feces. Trace amounts of radiotungsten were still detected 

in urine analyses conducted until day 191 and correlated with slow elimination of 185W from bone. In 

dairy cows that were orally administered radiotungsten, approximately 0.4% of the administered dose was 

recovered in the milk during the first 84 hours postadministration (Mullen et al. 1976). 

Following intravenous injection of dogs with 181W (as sodium tungstate), elimination from the blood was 

rapid (Aamodt 1973). By 24 hours, 91% of the injected radioactivity had been excreted in the urine. An 

initial urinary to fecal ratio of 49 on day 1 was reduced to a constant value of 38 by day 7. 

3.4.5 Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK)/Pharmacodynamic (PD) Models 

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models use mathematical descriptions of the uptake and 

disposition of chemical substances to quantitatively describe the relationships among critical biological 

processes (Krishnan et al. 1994). PBPK models are also called biologically based tissue dosimetry 

models. PBPK models are increasingly used in risk assessments, primarily to predict the concentration of 
TUNGSTEN 42 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

potentially toxic moieties of a chemical that will be delivered to any given target tissue following various 

combinations of route, dose level, and test species (Clewell and Andersen 1985). Physiologically based 

pharmacodynamic (PBPD) models use mathematical descriptions of the dose-response function to 

quantitatively describe the relationship between target tissue dose and toxic end points. 

PBPK/PD models refine our understanding of complex quantitative dose behaviors by helping to 

delineate and characterize the relationships between: (1) the external/exposure concentration and target 

tissue dose of the toxic moiety, and (2) the target tissue dose and observed responses (Andersen et al. 

1987; Andersen and Krishnan 1994). These models are biologically and mechanistically based and can 

be used to extrapolate the pharmacokinetic behavior of chemical substances from high to low dose, from 

route to route, between species, and between subpopulations within a species. The biological basis of 

PBPK models results in more meaningful extrapolations than those generated with the more conventional 

use of uncertainty factors. 

The PBPK model for a chemical substance is developed in four interconnected steps: (1) model 

representation, (2) model parametrization, (3) model simulation, and (4) model validation (Krishnan and 

Andersen 1994). In the early 1990s, validated PBPK models were developed for a number of 

toxicologically important chemical substances, both volatile and nonvolatile (Krishnan and Andersen 

1994; Leung 1993). PBPK models for a particular substance require estimates of the chemical substancespecific physicochemical parameters, and species-specific physiological and biological parameters. The 

numerical estimates of these model parameters are incorporated within a set of differential and algebraic 

equations that describe the pharmacokinetic processes. Solving these differential and algebraic equations 

provides the predictions of tissue dose. Computers then provide process simulations based on these 

solutions. 

The structure and mathematical expressions used in PBPK models significantly simplify the true 

complexities of biological systems. If the uptake and disposition of the chemical substance(s) are 

adequately described, however, this simplification is desirable because data are often unavailable for 

many biological processes. A simplified scheme reduces the magnitude of cumulative uncertainty. The 

adequacy of the model is, therefore, of great importance, and model validation is essential to the use of 

PBPK models in risk assessment. 

PBPK models improve the pharmacokinetic extrapolations used in risk assessments that identify the 

maximal (i.e., the safe) levels for human exposure to chemical substances (Andersen and Krishnan 1994). 
 

TUNGSTEN 43 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

PBPK models provide a scientifically sound means to predict the target tissue dose of chemicals in 

humans who are exposed to environmental levels (for example, levels that might occur at hazardous waste 

sites) based on the results of studies where doses were higher or were administered in different species. 

Figure 3-3 shows a conceptualized representation of a PBPK model. 

If PBPK models for tungsten exist, the overall results and individual models are discussed in this section 

in terms of their use in risk assessment, tissue dosimetry, and dose, route, and species extrapolations. 

International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP 1981) Biokinetic Model for 

Tungsten 

The ICRP’s modular approach to biokinetic modeling. 

In ICRP documents addressing occupational or environmental exposures to radionuclides, the biokinetic 

model for an element consists of three submodels: a respiratory tract model, a gastrointestinal tract 

model, and an element-specific systemic biokinetic model. For a given element, the generic respiratory 

tract model is used to describe the deposition and retention of inhaled material in the respiratory tract and 

subsequent clearance to blood or the gastrointestinal tract via mucociliary transport and swallowing. The 

generic gastrointestinal tract model is used to describe the movement of swallowed or endogenously 

secreted material through the stomach and intestines, and, together with an element-specific 

gastrointestinal absorption fraction (f1 value), to describe the rate and extent of absorption of the element 

to blood. An element-specific systemic biokinetic model is used to describe the time-dependent 

distribution and excretion of the element after its absorption into blood. 

The ICRP’s gastrointestinal model (ICRP 1979) as applied to tungsten (ICRP 1981). 

The ICRP’s generic gastrointestinal tract model divides the gastrointestinal contents into stomach (S), 

small intestine (SI), upper large intestine (ULI), and lower large intestine (LLI). Material moves from S 

to SI at the rate of 24 day-1, from SI to ULI at 6 day-1, from ULI to LLI at 1.8 day-1, and from LLI to feces 

at 1 day-1. Absorption to blood is represented as transfer from SI to blood. In the absence of radioactive 

decay, the fraction f1 of the ingested element moves from SI to blood and the fraction 1-f1 moves from SI 

to ULI. The transfer coefficient from SI to blood is 6f1/(1-f1) day-1. An absorption fraction f1 of 0.3 is 

applied to compounds of tungsten other than tungstic acid, for which an absorption fraction of 0.1 is used. 
Lungs 

Liver 

Fat 

S low ly 

perfused 

tissues 

Richly 

perfused 

tissues 

K idney 

Skin 

V 

E 

N 

O 

U 

S 

B 

L 

O 

O 

D 

A 

R 

T 

E 

R 

I 

A 

L 

B 

L 

O 

O 

D 

V ma x K m 

Ingestion 

Inhaled chem ical E xhaled chem ical 

GI 

Tract 

Feces 

Urine 

C hem icals in air 

contacting skin 

TUNGSTEN 44 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Figure 3-3. Conceptual Representation of a Physiologically Based 

Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Model for a 

Hypothetical Chemical Substance 

Source: adapted from Krishnan et al. 1994 

Note: This is a conceptual representation of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for a 

hypothetical chemical substance. The chemical substance is shown to be absorbed via the skin, by inhalation, or by 

ingestion, metabolized in the liver, and excreted in the urine or by exhalation. 
TUNGSTEN 45 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Differences in the values for f1 reflect measured differences in fractional absorption of various tungsten 

compounds in rats (Ballou 1960; Kaye 1968). 

The ICRP’s respiratory model (ICRP 1994a) as applied to tungsten (ICRP 1995). 

The ICRP uses a generic respiratory model (ICRP 1994a) to describe deposition and retention of inhaled 

elements in the respiratory tract, absorption to blood, and transfer to the stomach via movement up the 

tracheobronchial tree in mucus and subsequent swallowing. The kinetics of swallowed activity is 

described by the gastrointestinal tract model summarized above. Elements or specific compounds of 

elements inhaled in particulate form are assigned to one of three “absorption types” representing the rate 

of transfer of material from the lungs to blood, which in turn is related to the rate of dissolution of the 

material in the respiratory tract. The three absorption types are Type F, representing fast absorption; Type 

M, representing moderately slow absorption; and Type S, representing slow absorption. There are 

numerous parameter values associated with each absorption type; these will not be listed here. 

Compounds of tungsten are assumed to be dissolved fairly rapidly in the respiratory tract and, thus, are 

assigned to Type F (ICRP 1994b). 

The ICRP’s systemic biokinetic model for tungsten (ICRP 1981). 

The ICRP uses an element-specific systemic biokinetic model to describe the kinetics of the element after 

its absorption to blood from the respiratory tract or gastrointestinal tract, or entry from wounds or direct 

injection into blood. The ICRP’s current systemic biokinetic model for tungsten (ICRP 1981) was 

developed in the 1970s. The model (Figure 3-4) consists of exponential curve fits to selected data on the 

relatively short-term behavior of tungsten in dogs, goats, and rats. In the development of the model, no 

attempt was made to reflect the physiological processes that control the biokinetics of tungsten or to 

depict actual paths of movement of this element in the body. Absorbed tungsten is assumed to enter the 

blood, from which 95% immediately transfers to excreta by unspecified routes, 2.5% transfers to bone 

mineral, 1% transfers to kidney, 1% transfers to liver, and 0.5% transfers to spleen. Tungsten in bone is 

removed in excretion with half-times of 4 days (20%), 100 days (10%), and 1,000 days (70%). Tungsten 

in any other tissue is removed to excretion with half-times of 5 days (70%) and 100 days (30%). 
Gastrointestinal 

tract 

Blood 

Other tissues 

(kidney, liver, 

spleen) 

Bone mineral 

Excreta 

1% (Tungsten acid) 

3% (Other compounds) 

2.5% 2.5% 

95% 20% 

4 days* 

10% 

100 days 

70% 

1,000 days 

70% 

5 days 

30% 

100 days 

Elimination half-life 

Figure 3-4. ICRP (1981, 2001) Biokinetics Model for Tungsten 

TUNGSTEN 46 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 
 

TUNGSTEN 47 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Validation of the model. 

The extent to which the ICRP model has been validated is not described in ICRP (1981). 

Risk assessment. 

The model has been used to establish radiation dose equivalents (Sv/Bq) of ingested and inhaled 

radioactive tungsten isotopes for ages 1 day to 50 years (ICRP 2001). 

Target tissues. 

The model is designed to calculate intake limits for radioactive tungsten, based on radiation dose to all 

major organs, including the bone surfaces, bone marrow, and soft tissues. 

Species extrapolation. 

The model is designed for applications to human dosimetry and cannot be applied to other species without 

modification. 

Interroute extrapolation. 

The ICRP’s systemic biokinetic model for tungsten can be applied to any route of exposure (e.g., from the 

respiratory or GI tract, wounds, through the skin, or via intravenous injection), provided information is 

available on the time-course of entry of tungsten into blood. 

Leggett (1997) Model of the Biokinetics of Absorbed Tungsten 

Description of the model. 

Leggett (1997) developed a compartmental model of the biokinetics of absorbed tungsten in adult humans 

that can be linked to the ICRP’s gastrointestinal tract model (ICRP 1979, 1981) or respiratory model 
TUNGSTEN 48 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

(ICRP 1994). The model differs considerably from the ICRP’s systemic biokinetic model for tungsten 

with regard to structure, basis for parameter values, and predicted retention of tungsten in tissues. The 

model structure (Figure 3-5) is intended to depict physiologically realistic directions of movement of 

tungsten in the human body, including the systemic redistribution of tungsten that enters blood after 

removal from tissues. Model parameters are based on results of biokinetic studies of tungsten in dogs, 

swine, sheep, goats, cows, and rodents. Although tungsten biokinetics has been studied more frequently 

in rats than other species, data for rats were given low weight in selection of most parameter values 

because of known qualitative differences between rats and humans in the handling of molybdenum, a 

chemical and physiological analogue of tungsten. It is suspected that membrane transport may not 

distinguish between analogous compounds of tungsten and molybdenum, although biokinetic differences 

between tungsten and molybdenum arise, probably because molybdenum compounds are more easily 

reduced in biological systems (Callis and Wentworth 1977). The species differences recognized for 

molybdenum may apply to tungsten as well, as suggested by the much faster excretion of tungsten by rats 

than other studied species and apparent differences in the distribution of retained tungsten. On the other 

hand, some aspects of the biokinetics of tungsten or molybdenum, including long-term skeletal retention 

due to substitution of tungstate or molybdate for phosphate in bone, are expected to be independent of 

species. 

The structure of the model for tungsten (Figure 3-5) is essentially the same as that applied in ICRP 

Publication 69 (1995) to a set of “bone-volume-seeking” elements, including calcium, strontium, barium, 

radium, lead, and uranium. It is assumed that the kinetics of tungsten that deposits in bone can be related 

to the kinetics of the major components of bone mineral, calcium, and phosphorus. 

Transport of tungsten between compartments is assumed to follow first-order kinetics. Three 

compartments are used to describe the kinetics of circulating tungsten: (1) blood plasma, (2) red blood 

cells, and (3) a rapid-turnover soft-tissue compartment representing extracellular fluids. The 

rapid-turnover soft-tissue compartment is used to depict an early build-up of tungsten in extravascular 

spaces followed by relatively rapid feedback to blood. The total transfer rate from plasma to all 

destinations is set at 16.64 day-1, corresponding to a removal half-time of 1 hour. The rapid-turnover softtissue compartment receives 30% of tungsten leaving plasma and returns tungsten to plasma with a halftime of 2 hours. The division of tungsten leaving the circulation, defined as atoms moving from plasma 

to compartments other than rapid-turnover soft-tissues, is as follows: 75% to the urinary bladder 

contents; 5% to kidney tissue; 5% to the contents of the upper large intestine (representing all secretions 

into the gastrointestinal tract); 4% to liver; 8% to bone surfaces; 2.5% to other soft tissues; and 0.5% to 
TUNGSTEN 49 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Figure 3-5. Leggett (1997) Biokinetics Model for Tungsten 

Losses in hair, nails, 

skin Slow turnover Rapid turnover Intermediate turnover 

Cortical volume 

Nonexchangeable Exchangeable 

Cortical 

surface 

Trabecular 

surface 

Respiratory tract 

module 

Gastrointestinal tract 

module 

Spleen 

Liver 2 

Liver 1 

Feces 

Urine Urinary 

bladder 

contents 

Plasma 

Other kidney 

tissue 

Urinary path 

Red 

blood 

cells 

Air 

Food, 

Fluids 

Kidneys 

Trabecular volume 

Nonexchangeable Exchangeable 

Skeleton 

Other soft tissues 

Adapted from Leggett 1997
 
TUNGSTEN 50 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

red blood cells. The assigned removal half-times from the various compartments within these tissues vary 

from 1 day (from bone surfaces) to about 23 years (from cortical bone volume). Tungsten removed from 

the skeleton, certain kidney tissue, liver tissue, remaining soft tissues, and red blood cells is assigned to 

plasma and redistributed to excretion pathways and tissues in the same ratio as the initial input into 

plasma. Most of the tungsten removed from kidney tissue is assigned to the urinary bladder contents. 

Bone is divided into cortical and trabecular portions and each of these is further divided into a bone 

surface compartment and exchangeable and nonexchangeable bone volume compartments. 

Approximately 55% of tungsten entering the skeleton is assigned to trabecular surfaces and 45% to 

cortical surfaces. Tungsten is removed from bone surface with a half-time of 1 day, with 5/6 returning to 

plasma and 1/6 entering the corresponding exchangeable bone volume compartment. It is removed from 

exchangeable bone volume with a half-time of 100 days, with 60% assigned to the corresponding 

nonexchangeable bone volume compartment and 40% to the corresponding bone surface compartment. 

Removal from nonexchangeable bone to plasma occurs at the rate of bone turnover, estimated as 

0.03 year-1 for cortical bone (half-time of ~23 years) and 0.18 years-1 for trabecular bone (half-time 

approximately 4 year). 

The model predicts a rapid decline in body burden of tungsten after cessation of exposure; approximately 

15% of the burden remains after 1 day, 5% after 1 week, 3% after 1 month, 1.6% after 1 year, and 0.4% 

after 10 years. The slowest component of the decline represents stores in bone volume; therefore, over 

time, the fraction of the body burden associated with bone increases to 60% after 1 year and 90% after 

4 years. Steady state in soft tissue is predicted after approximately 300–500 days of continuous exposure, 

whereas, bone continues to accumulate tungsten with chronic exposure. 

Validation of the model. 

An evaluation of the extent to which the model has been validated was not located. Predictions from the 

model were compared to those from the ICRP (1981) model (Leggett 1997). Over the first few years 

after intake, the two models yield reasonably consistent predictions of total-body retention, but noticeably 

different predictions of retention in specific tissues. For example, the ratio of predicted retention values, 

ICRP model:Leggett model, at 1 day after acute uptake of tungsten to blood is 0.75 for the total body, but 

0.44 for bone or kidney, 0.28 for liver, and 8.5 for spleen. For times greater than a few years after intake, 

the ICRP model predicts considerably faster decline of activity in all tissues, with the ratio ICRP 

model:Leggett model at 10,000 days after acute intake being <0.01 for total body or bone retention and 
TUNGSTEN 51 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

<0.001 for retention in all other tissues. Differences in predictions of the two models result in part from 

differences in the databases considered, in that the ICRP restricted attention to specific data sets and 

relied heavily on data for rats, which were generally given low weight in the model of Leggett. Predictive 

differences also arise from differences in the method of extrapolation to times beyond the periods of 

observation of tungsten retention in laboratory animals. For example, in the ICRP model, a removal halftime from bone of 1,000 days is arbitrarily applied to represent “a very long-term component of retention 

in the skeleton” (ICRP 1981). In the Leggett model, long-term removal of tungsten from bone is assumed 

to occur at the rate at which human bone is remodeled. 

Risk assessment. 

The extent to which the model has been applied to risk assessment is not described in Leggett (1997). 

The model is configured to be applicable for estimation of time-integrated target tissue doses, blood 

tungsten levels, and tungsten excretion. 

Target tissues. 

The model output includes tungsten levels in bone, blood, kidney, liver, other soft tissues, and plasma. 

Species extrapolation. 

Parameter values of the model were derived for adult humans. The model structure is applicable to other 

mammalian species, but application to other species would require the derivation of appropriate parameter 

values based on species-specific information. 

Interroute extrapolation. 

The Leggett systemic biokinetic model for tungsten can be applied to any route of exposure (e.g., from 

the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract, wounds, through the skin, or via intravenous injection), provided 

information is available on the time-course of entry of tungsten into blood. 
 

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3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.5 MECHANISMS OF ACTION 

3.5.1 Pharmacokinetic Mechanisms 

Absorption. Absorption of inhaled tungsten has been demonstrated in dogs (Aamodt 1975). 

Approximately one-third of a dose of radiotungsten (181WO3) that was deposited in the respiratory tract 

was transferred to the blood. Based on relatively rapid clearance of a portion of the deposited activity 

from the lungs (70% was cleared with a half-time of 4 hours), diffusion may account for at least a portion 

of the dose entering the blood. Experimental data also indicate that tungsten particles may be dissolved 

within alveolar macrophages (De Sousa Pereira et al. 1992; Grande et al. 1990; Peão et al. 1993) and 

transported to the lymphatic system (Águas et al. 1991; Grande et al. 1990). The relative solubility of a 

given tungsten compound also likely dictates the degree and rate of absorption. At least a portion of 

tungsten inhaled as hard metal dust may be retained in lung tissue for an extended period (Cugell et al. 

1990; Edel et al. 1990). 

Ingested tungsten appears to be largely absorbed from the lower ileum, based on results of an in vitro 

study using the rat small intestine (Cardin and Mason 1976). Results of both in vitro and in vivo studies 

in rats indicate that gastrointestinal absorption and transport of tungsten probably occurs via the same 

pathways employed by the essential element molybdenum (Cardin and Mason 1976; Johnson and 

Rajagopalan 1974; Johnson et al. 1974). The results further indicate that a transport system common to 

molybdenum and tungsten is subject to competitive inhibition. 

No information was located regarding mechanisms involved in absorption of tungsten through the skin. 

However, a report of death in rabbits following a single dermal application of a 5% tungsten chloride 

solution (Dow Chemical Company 1982) is evidence of absorption and systemic distribution of dermallyapplied tungsten. 

Distribution. Absorbed tungsten is rapidly distributed throughout the body and quickly eliminated 

predominantly via the urine. Mechanisms involved in the distribution of absorbed tungsten are not 

currently understood. However, rapid distribution via the blood and elimination via the kidney serve as 

indication that distribution does not likely include major binding to cellular components or proteins in 

blood. Retention of tungstate by the liver may be related to the findings that tungsten inhibits the binding 

of the essential element molybdenum to selected liver proteins (Johnson and Rajagopalan 1974). 

Retention of tungsten in bone has led to the suggestion that tungstate anions interact with calcium, 

thereby forming the relatively insoluble calcium tungstate (Wase 1955). In physiological systems such as 
 

TUNGSTEN 53 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

cells and blood, molecules binding anionic forms of tungsten might release these anions to water in 

exchange for dissolved phosphate ion, for which they may have greater affinity, as suggested by Wide et 

al. (1986). 

Excretion. Inhalation, oral, and parenteral injection studies in laboratory animals all indicate that 

absorbed tungsten is rapidly eliminated from the blood and quickly excreted in large quantities in the 

urine (Aamodt 1973, 1975; Kaye 1968). Specific mechanisms involved in the excretion of tungsten were 

not identified in available reports. 

3.5.2 Mechanisms of Toxicity 

Specific mechanisms of tungsten-induced toxicity have not been elucidated. Pulmonary fibrosis in hard 

metal workers exposed to dusts containing tungsten carbide and cobalt has been historically attributed to 

the presence of cobalt, not tungsten (see Davison et al. 1983; Harding 1950). Based on results of studies 

in which pulmonary fibrosis was induced in rats following intratracheal instillation of tungsten carbide 

and cobalt in combination, but not in rats exposed to tungsten carbide or cobalt alone (Lasfargues et al. 

1995), it has been proposed that tungsten carbide, a relatively good conductor of electrons, may facilitate 

the oxidation of cobalt metal to ionic cobalt, which could increase both the solubility of cobalt and the 

generation of active oxygen species (Lasfargues et al. 1995; Lison et al. 1995). In vitro evidence for this 

mechanism includes the ability of hard metal particles, but neither cobalt nor tungsten carbide alone, to 

generate oxidant species and cause lipid peroxidation (Lison et al. 1995; Zanetti and Fubini 1997). Hard 

metal particles have also been shown to increase the levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS); the 

gene for iNOS is responsive to oxidant stress (Rengasamy et al. 1999). 

Leanderson and Sahle (1995) demonstrated that respirable tungsten oxide fibers, which were measured in 

the air of hard metal industries (80% of the fibers were ≤0.3 μm in diameter) (Sahle 1992; Sahle et al. 

1994), are capable of generating hydroxyl radicals in human lung cells in vitro, and that these fibers were 

more cytotoxic than crocidolite asbestos. It could be argued that generation of hydroxyl radicals might 

contribute toward the development of pulmonary fibrosis in individuals occupationally exposed to fibrous 

tungsten oxide in the hard metal industry. However, any attempt to link tungsten with the development of 

pulmonary fibrosis via a mechanism that includes the generation of hydroxyl radicals is speculative 

because such a mechanism has not been demonstrated in vivo. 
TUNGSTEN 54 

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In animals administered high levels of tungsten in combination with low dietary levels of molybdenum, 

the competitive agonistic properties of the two metals can be manifested by reduced levels of 

molybdenum and decreased activity of enzymes such as xanthine oxidase, sulfite oxidase and aldehyde 

oxidase, which normally incorporate molybdenum as a metal carrier (De Renzo 1954; Higgins et al. 

1956a, 1956b; Johnson and Rajagopalan 1974; Johnson et al. 1974). Although these effects can be 

observed following exposure to elevated levels of tungsten, only very small amounts of supplemental 

molybdenum are required to reverse these tungsten-induced effects. The competitive agonistic properties 

of tungsten and molybdenum have not been associated with any observable signs of toxicity. 

3.5.3 Animal-to-Human Extrapolations 

No data were located concerning major interspecies differences in pharmacokinetics or health effects 

associated with exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, the rat exhibits a remarkably low 

requirement for molybdenum, relative to other animal species (Higgins et al. 1956b). The apparently low 

dietary requirement of molybdenum in the rat, as well as the competitive agonistic properties of 

molybdenum and tungsten and their chemical similarities, is suggestive evidence of species-specific 

differences in the biokinetics of tungsten. 

3.6 TOXICITIES MEDIATED THROUGH THE NEUROENDOCRINE AXIS 

Recently, attention has focused on the potential hazardous effects of certain chemicals on the endocrine 

system because of the ability of these chemicals to mimic or block endogenous hormones. Chemicals 

with this type of activity are most commonly referred to as endocrine disruptors. However, appropriate 

terminology to describe such effects remains controversial. The terminology endocrine disruptors, 

initially used by Colborn and Clement (1992), was also used in 1996 when Congress mandated the EPA 

to develop a screening program for “...certain substances [which] may have an effect produced by a 

naturally occurring estrogen, or other such endocrine effect[s]...”. To meet this mandate, EPA convened a 

panel called the Endocrine Disruptors Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC), and in 

1998, the EDSTAC completed its deliberations and made recommendations to EPA concerning endocrine 

disruptors. In 1999, the National Academy of Sciences released a report that referred to these same types 

of chemicals as hormonally active agents. The terminology endocrine modulators has also been used to 

convey the fact that effects caused by such chemicals may not necessarily be adverse. Many scientists 

agree that chemicals with the ability to disrupt or modulate the endocrine system are a potential threat to 
TUNGSTEN 55 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

the health of humans, aquatic animals, and wildlife. However, others think that endocrine-active 

chemicals do not pose a significant health risk, particularly in view of the fact that hormone mimics exist 

in the natural environment. Examples of natural hormone mimics are the isoflavinoid phytoestrogens 

(Adlercreutz 1995; Livingston 1978; Mayr et al. 1992). These chemicals are derived from plants and are 

similar in structure and action to endogenous estrogen. Although the public health significance and 

descriptive terminology of substances capable of affecting the endocrine system remains controversial, 

scientists agree that these chemicals may affect the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or 

elimination of natural hormones in the body responsible for maintaining homeostasis, reproduction, 

development, and/or behavior (EPA 1997c). Stated differently, such compounds may cause toxicities that 

are mediated through the neuroendocrine axis. As a result, these chemicals may play a role in altering, 

for example, metabolic, sexual, immune, and neurobehavioral function. Such chemicals are also thought 

to be involved in inducing breast, testicular, and prostate cancers, as well as endometriosis (Berger 1994; 

Giwercman et al. 1993; Hoel et al. 1992). 

No information was located regarding the potential of tungsten or tungsten compounds to disrupt 

endocrine function. 

3.7 CHILDREN’S SUSCEPTIBILITY 

This section discusses potential health effects from exposures during the period from conception to 

maturity at 18 years of age in humans, when all biological systems will have fully developed. Potential 

effects on offspring resulting from exposures of parental germ cells are considered, as well as any indirect 

effects on the fetus and neonate resulting from maternal exposure during gestation and lactation. 

Relevant animal and in vitro models are also discussed. 

Children are not small adults. They differ from adults in their exposures and may differ in their 

susceptibility to hazardous chemicals. Children’s unique physiology and behavior can influence the 

extent of their exposure. Exposures of children are discussed in Section 6.6, Exposures of Children. 

Children sometimes differ from adults in their susceptibility to hazardous chemicals, but whether there is 

a difference depends on the chemical (Guzelian et al. 1992; NRC 1993). Children may be more or less 

susceptible than adults to health effects, and the relationship may change with developmental age 

(Guzelian et al. 1992; NRC 1993). Vulnerability often depends on developmental stage. There are 

critical periods of structural and functional development during both prenatal and postnatal life and a 
TUNGSTEN 56 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

particular structure or function will be most sensitive to disruption during its critical period(s). Damage 

may not be evident until a later stage of development. There are often differences in pharmacokinetics 

and metabolism between children and adults. For example, absorption may be different in neonates 

because of the immaturity of their gastrointestinal tract and their larger skin surface area in proportion to 

body weight (Morselli et al. 1980; NRC 1993); the gastrointestinal absorption of lead is greatest in infants 

and young children (Ziegler et al. 1978). Distribution of xenobiotics may be different; for example, 

infants have a larger proportion of their bodies as extracellular water and their brains and livers are 

proportionately larger (Altman and Dittmer 1974; Fomon 1966; Fomon et al. 1982; Owen and Brozek 

1966; Widdowson and Dickerson 1964). The infant also has an immature blood-brain barrier (Adinolfi 

1985; Johanson 1980) and probably an immature blood-testis barrier (Setchell and Waites 1975). Many 

xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes have distinctive developmental patterns. At various stages of growth 

and development, levels of particular enzymes may be higher or lower than those of adults, and 

sometimes unique enzymes may exist at particular developmental stages (Komori et al. 1990; Leeder and 

Kearns 1997; NRC 1993; Vieira et al. 1996). Whether differences in xenobiotic metabolism make the 

child more or less susceptible also depends on whether the relevant enzymes are involved in activation of 

the parent compound to its toxic form or in detoxification. There may also be differences in excretion, 

particularly in newborns who all have a low glomerular filtration rate and have not developed efficient 

tubular secretion and resorption capacities (Altman and Dittmer 1974; NRC 1993; West et al. 1948). 

Children and adults may differ in their capacity to repair damage from chemical insults. Children also 

have a longer remaining lifetime in which to express damage from chemicals; this potential is particularly 

relevant to cancer. 

Certain characteristics of the developing human may increase exposure or susceptibility, whereas others 

may decrease susceptibility to the same chemical. For example, although infants breathe more air per 

kilogram of body weight than adults breathe, this difference might be somewhat counterbalanced by their 

alveoli being less developed, which results in a disproportionately smaller surface area for alveolar 

absorption (NRC 1993). 

No information was located regarding age-related differences in pharmacokinetics or toxicity of tungsten 

or tungsten compounds in humans. In one animal study, increased embryonic uptake of tungsten was 

observed via rat dams administered tungstate (185W) intravenously during late gestation (day 17) 

compared to earlier treatment (gestation days 8 or 12) (Wide et al. 1986). Both pre- and postimplantation losses and delayed fetal skeletal ossification were reported in rats following oral 

administration of tungsten before and during pregnancy (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko et al. 
TUNGSTEN 57 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

1977, 1978). However, deficiencies in study details render the reports of limited value for purposes of 

quantitative health risk assessment. Particular sensitivity to tungsten during fetal development and 

postnatal periods of nursing may be of concern since absorption of tungsten in pregnant animals can result 

in the accumulation of tungsten in fetal tissues (Wide et al. 1986), and tungsten can enter the milk of 

tungsten-exposed animals (Mullen et al. 1976). However, no information was located regarding the 

ability of tungsten to cross the placenta or enter the breast milk of humans. 

3.8 BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE AND EFFECT 

Biomarkers are broadly defined as indicators signaling events in biologic systems or samples. They have 

been classified as markers of exposure, markers of effect, and markers of susceptibility (NAS/NRC 

1989). 

Due to a nascent understanding of the use and interpretation of biomarkers, implementation of biomarkers 

as tools of exposure in the general population is very limited. A biomarker of exposure is a xenobiotic 

substance or its metabolite(s) or the product of an interaction between a xenobiotic agent and some target 

molecule(s) or cell(s) that is measured within a compartment of an organism (NAS/NRC 1989). The 

preferred biomarkers of exposure are generally the substance itself or substance-specific metabolites in 

readily obtainable body fluid(s) or excreta. However, several factors can confound the use and 

interpretation of biomarkers of exposure. The body burden of a substance may be the result of exposures 

from more than one source. The substance being measured may be a metabolite of another xenobiotic 

substance (e.g., high urinary levels of phenol can result from exposure to several different aromatic 

compounds). Depending on the properties of the substance (e.g., biologic half-life) and environmental 

conditions (e.g., duration and route of exposure), the substance and all of its metabolites may have left the 

body by the time samples can be taken. It may be difficult to identify individuals exposed to hazardous 

substances that are commonly found in body tissues and fluids (e.g., essential mineral nutrients such as 

copper, zinc, and selenium). Biomarkers of exposure to tungsten and tungsten compounds are discussed 

in Section 3.8.1. 

Biomarkers of effect are defined as any measurable biochemical, physiologic, or other alteration within an 

organism that, depending on magnitude, can be recognized as an established or potential health 

impairment or disease (NAS/NRC 1989). This definition encompasses biochemical or cellular signals of 

tissue dysfunction (e.g., increased liver enzyme activity or pathologic changes in female genital epithelial 

cells), as well as physiologic signs of dysfunction such as increased blood pressure or decreased lung 
 

TUNGSTEN 58 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

capacity. Note that these markers are not often substance specific. They also may not be directly 

adverse, but can indicate potential health impairment (e.g., DNA adducts). Biomarkers of effects caused 

by tungsten and tungsten compounds are discussed in Section 3.8.2. 

A biomarker of susceptibility is an indicator of an inherent or acquired limitation of an organism's ability 

to respond to the challenge of exposure to a specific xenobiotic substance. It can be an intrinsic genetic or 

other characteristic or a preexisting disease that results in an increase in absorbed dose, a decrease in the 

biologically effective dose, or a target tissue response. If biomarkers of susceptibility exist, they are 

discussed in Section 3.10 “Populations that are Unusually Susceptible.” 

3.8.1 Biomarkers Used to Identify or Quantify Exposure to Tungsten and Tungsten 

Compounds 

The presence of tungsten in the blood, urine, or feces serves as a biomarker of exposure to tungsten or 

tungsten compounds. Levels in these media may be used in conjunction with biokinetic models to 

estimate previous exposure levels. 

3.8.2 Biomarkers Used to Characterize Effects Caused by Tungsten and Tungsten 

Compounds 

Biomarkers of effect for tungsten or tungsten compounds were not identified in available literature. 

3.9 INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER CHEMICALS 

Hard metal, consisting of tungsten carbide and cobalt, has been shown to present a more significant health 

concern than either tungsten carbide or cobalt alone (Lasfargues et al. 1995). Potential mechanisms for 

this phenomenon are discussed in Section 3.5.2. 

3.10 POPULATIONS THAT ARE UNUSUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE 

A susceptible population will exhibit a different or enhanced response to tungsten and tungsten 

compounds than will most persons exposed to the same level of tungsten and tungsten compounds in the 

environment. Reasons may include genetic makeup, age, health and nutritional status, and exposure to 
 

TUNGSTEN 59 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

other toxic substances (e.g., cigarette smoke). These parameters result in reduced detoxification or 

excretion of tungsten or tungsten compounds, or compromised function of organs affected by tungsten or 

tungsten compounds. Populations who are at greater risk due to their unusually high exposure to tungsten 

and tungsten compounds are discussed in Section 6.7, Populations with Potentially High Exposures. 

Individuals with compromised respiratory function may exhibit increased sensitivity to airborne tungsten 

due to irritant properties of tungsten particles that may be deposited in the lungs. Individuals with 

compromised renal function may also experience particular sensitivity to tungsten since decreased urinary 

excretion could result in increased tungsten retention. Russian studies (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; 

Nadeenko et al. 1977, 1978) indicate that developing fetuses may be particularly sensitive to tungsten. 

However, these studies are limited in reporting of study details, which renders them of limited value for 

purposes of risk assessment. 

3.11 METHODS FOR REDUCING TOXIC EFFECTS 

This section will describe clinical practice and research concerning methods for reducing toxic effects of 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, because some of the treatments discussed may be 

experimental and unproven, this section should not be used as a guide for treatment of exposures to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. When specific exposures have occurred, poison control centers and 

medical toxicologists should be consulted for medical advice. 

No texts were located regarding treatment following exposures to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

3.11.1 Reducing Peak Absorption Following Exposure 

No data were located regarding reduction of peak absorption of tungsten following exposure. Cathartics 

such as magnesium sulfate, as well as gastric lavage, might shorten the transit time of ingested tungsten in 

the gastrointestinal tract. Oral administration of activated charcoal shortly following oral exposure to 

tungsten might be effective in reducing peak absorption. 

3.11.2 Reducing Body Burden 

No data were located regarding reducing the body burden of tungsten. 
 

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3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.11.3 Interfering with the Mechanism of Action for Toxic Effects 

No data were located regarding reduction of the toxic effects of tungsten through interfering with 

mechanisms of action. 

3.12 ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE 

Section 104(i)(5) of CERCLA, as amended, directs the Administrator of ATSDR (in consultation with the 

Administrator of EPA and agencies and programs of the Public Health Service) to assess whether 

adequate information on the health effects of tungsten and tungsten compounds is available. Where 

adequate information is not available, ATSDR, in conjunction with the National Toxicology Program 

(NTP), is required to assure the initiation of a program of research designed to determine the health 

effects (and techniques for developing methods to determine such health effects) of tungsten and tungsten 

compounds. 

The following categories of possible data needs have been identified by a joint team of scientists from 

ATSDR, NTP, and EPA. They are defined as substance-specific informational needs that if met would 

reduce the uncertainties of human health assessment. This definition should not be interpreted to mean 

that all data needs discussed in this section must be filled. In the future, the identified data needs will be 

evaluated and prioritized, and a substance-specific research agenda will be proposed. 

3.12.1 Existing Information on Health Effects of Tungsten and Tungsten Compounds 

The existing data on health effects of inhalation, oral, and dermal exposure of humans and animals to 

tungsten and tungsten compounds are summarized in Figure 3-6. The purpose of this figure is to illustrate 

the existing information concerning the health effects of tungsten and tungsten compounds. Each dot in 

the figure indicates that one or more studies provide information associated with that particular effect. 

The dot does not necessarily imply anything about the quality of the study or studies, nor should missing 

information in this figure be interpreted as a “data need”. A data need, as defined in ATSDR’s Decision 

Guide for Identifying Substance-Specific Data Needs Related to Toxicological Profiles (Agency for Toxic 

Substances and Disease Registry 1989), is substance-specific information necessary to conduct 
Death

Acute 

Intermediate 

Chronic 

Immunologic/Lymphoretic 

Neurologic 

Reproductive 

Developmental 

Genotoxic 

Cancer 

Systemic 

Human 

Inhalation 

Oral 

Dermal 

Death

Acute 

Intermediate 

Chronic 

Immunologic/Lymphoretic 

Neurologic 

Reproductive 

Developmental 

Genotoxic 

Cancer 

Systemic 

Animal 

Inhalation 

Oral 

Dermal 

Existing Studies 

Figure 3-6. Existing Information on Health Effects of Tungsten and 

Tungsten Compounds 

TUNGSTEN 61 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 
TUNGSTEN 62 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

comprehensive public health assessments. Generally, ATSDR defines a data gap more broadly as any 

substance-specific information missing from the scientific literature. 

Available data regarding health effects in humans exposed to tungsten predominantly involves 

occupational exposure to dusts that include particles of tungsten and other metals (particularly cobalt) at 

facilities in which hard metal is produced. It is generally considered that cobalt is the source of adverse 

health effects such as pulmonary fibrosis and dermatitis in hard metal workers, not tungsten. A single 

case report was located concerning acute oral exposure to tungsten in a male subject. However, reported 

symptoms could not be specifically attributed to tungsten. 

Relatively few reports were located regarding health effects in animals following acute-, intermediate-, or 

chronic-duration exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. Several early Russian reports were 

located, mainly originating from a single group of investigators. The reports predominantly assessed 

acute lethality or reproductive or developmental effects following oral exposure to soluble tungsten 

compounds. The carcinogenicity and genotoxicity of tungsten and tungsten compounds has not been 

adequately assessed in humans or animals. However, tungsten has been recently nominated by the 

National Center for Environmental Health for toxicological characterization including carcinogenicity 

(NTP 2003). 

3.12.2 Identification of Data Needs 

Acute-Duration Exposure. No human studies were located regarding health effects associated with 

acute-duration inhalation exposure to tungsten. Information in animals is restricted to exposure via 

intratracheal instillation of tungsten compounds. Intratracheal instillation of water-insoluble calcium 

tungstate crystals resulted in an inflammatory response in mice (Peão et al. 1993). Acute pulmonary 

edema was reported in rats that had received hard metal (tungsten carbide and cobalt alloy) via 

intratracheal instillation, but not in rats exposed to tungsten carbide or cobalt alone (Lasfargues et al. 

(1992). Due to the lack of information concerning adverse effects and targets of toxicity following acuteduration inhalation exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds, no acute-duration inhalation MRLs were 

derived. Results of acute-duration inhalation toxicity studies that adequately characterize dose-response 

characteristics and target organs could serve as a basis to derive acute-duration inhalation MRLs for 

tungsten and tungsten compounds. 
TUNGSTEN 63 

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Information regarding health effects in humans following acute-duration oral exposure to tungsten is 

restricted to a single case report in which a male subject experienced neurological (nausea, seizure, and 

24-hour coma) and renal (temporary renal failure, tubular necrosis, and anuria) effects following the 

accidental consumption of metallic tungsten in a mixture of beer and wine (Marquet et al. 1997). 

However, the observed effects could not be specifically attributed to tungsten. Reports of tungsteninduced adverse health effects in animals following acute-duration oral exposure to tungsten consist 

primarily of reports in which lethality was assessed (Karantassis 1924; Kinard and Van de Erve 1941; 

Nadeenko 1966; Smyth et al. 1969). Guinea pigs exhibited clinical signs that included trembling and 

abnormal locomotor behavior following single oral administration of sodium tungstate at ultimately lethal 

doses (≥780 mg/kg) (Karantassis 1924). Due to the lack of information concerning adverse effects and 

targets of toxicity following acute-duration oral exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds, no acuteduration inhalation MRLs were derived. Results of acute-duration oral toxicity studies that adequately 

characterize dose-response characteristics and target organs could serve as a basis to derive acute-duration 

oral MRLs for tungsten and tungsten compounds. 

Information concerning dermal effects in humans exposed to tungsten is restricted to a report of 

dermatitis in employees of the hard metal industry, but results of patch testing implicated cobalt, not 

tungsten, as the causative agent (Schwartz et al. 1945; Skog 1963). Relatively little information is 

available concerning adverse effects in animals following acute-duration dermal exposure to tungsten. 

Contact dermatitis was reported in rabbits following dermal application of a 5% tungsten chloride 

solution in single doses ≥100 mg/kg; doses ≥200 mg/kg also resulted in death (Dow Chemical Company 

1982). Instillation of a 5% tungsten chloride solution into the rabbit eye resulted in initial ocular irritation 

that resolved within 14 days postinstillation (Dow Chemical Company 1982). Additional animal studies 

could be designed to assess the sublethal systemic toxicity of tungsten and selected tungsten compounds 

following acute-duration dermal exposure. 

Intermediate-Duration Exposure. No human studies were located regarding health effects 

associated with intermediate-duration inhalation exposure to tungsten. Rats that were repeatedly exposed 

to atmospheres containing tungsten carbide at a concentration of 600 mg/m3

 exhibited signs of pulmonary 

fibrosis and clinical signs that were interpreted as anxiety manifestations (Mezentseva 1967). Decreased 

sperm motility was noted in rats continuously repeatedly exposed to atmospheres containing sodium 

tungstate at concentrations ≥0.5 mg/m3

 (Idiyatullina 1981). Mixed results were reported in laboratory 

animals following intratracheal instillation of selected tungsten compounds and examinations that 

spanned intermediate-duration post instillation periods. Signs of pulmonary fibrosis were reported in rats 
TUNGSTEN 64 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

observed for up to 8 months following intratracheal instillation of metallic tungsten, tungsten trioxide, or 

tungsten carbide (Mezentseva 1967). Lung lesions in the absence of apparent pulmonary fibrosis were 

reported in guinea pigs that had received 3 weekly doses of intratracheally-instilled metallic tungsten or 

tungsten carbide and carbon dust, followed by up to 12 months of posttreatment examination (Delahant 

1955; Schepers 1955a, 1955b). No signs of a fibrotic response were seen in the lungs of mice that had 

received tungsten carbide via intratracheal instillation (Lardot et al. 1998). Due to the lack of information 

concerning adverse effects and targets of toxicity following intermediate-duration inhalation exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds, no intermediate-duration inhalation MRLs were derived. Results of 

intermediate-duration inhalation toxicity studies that adequately characterize dose-response characteristics 

and target organs could serve as a basis to derive intermediate-duration inhalation MRLs for tungsten and 

tungsten compounds. 

No human studies were located regarding health effects associated with intermediate-duration oral 

exposure to tungsten. In rats, early reports have associated repeated oral exposure to tungsten with 

neurological (Karantassis 1924), reproductive (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko et al. 1977, 

1978), and developmental (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko et al. 1977, 1978) effects. Body 

weight changes, in the absence of other signs of toxicity, were reported in rats following repeated oral 

exposure to various tungsten compounds (Kinard and Van de Erve 1941, 1943). However, the available 

animal studies did not include critical dose-response information and other details (including methods 

used in statistical analysis of data), which precludes their usefulness for the purpose of MRL derivation. 

Therefore, no intermediate-duration oral MRLs were derived for tungsten. Results of intermediateduration oral toxicity studies that adequately characterize dose-response characteristics could serve as a 

basis to derive intermediate-duration inhalation and oral MRLs for tungsten and tungsten compounds. 

No human or animal data were located regarding noncancer or cancer end points associated with 

intermediate-duration dermal exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. Intramuscularly-implanted 

tungsten alloy (91.1% tungsten, 6.0% nickel, and 2.9% cobalt) was recently shown to rapidly cause 

aggressive tumors in rats (Kalinich et al. 2005). However, since both nickel and cobalt are known to 

cause tumors following intramuscular injection in rats (Heath 1954, 1956; Heath and Daniel 1964), the 

carcinogenic role of tungsten itself was not determined. 

Chronic-Duration Exposure and Cancer. Information regarding chronic exposure of humans to 

tungsten primarily involves respiratory effects such as pulmonary fibrosis, memory and sensory deficits, 

and increased mortality due to lung cancer in hard metal workers exposed to dusts that include particles of 
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tungsten and other metals (particularly cobalt) (see Bech 1974; Bech et al. 1962; Coates and Watson 

1971a, 1971b; Jordan et al. 1990; Kaplun and Mezentseva 1959; Lasfargues et al. 1994; Mezentseva 

1967; Miller et al. 1953; Moulin et al. 1998; Vengerskaya and Salikhodzhaev 1962; Wild et al. 2000). It 

is generally considered that cobalt is the source of major toxicity concern, not tungsten (see Davison et al. 

1983; Harding 1950). However, it has been suggested that tungsten oxide fibers may contribute to the 

development of pulmonary fibrosis in hard metal workers (Sahle 1992). No studies were located 

regarding chronic-duration inhalation exposure of laboratory animals to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

Based on the lack of human and animal data, no chronic-duration inhalation MRLs were derived for 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. Results of well-designed chronic-duration inhalation studies in animals 

could serve as a basis to derive chronic-duration inhalation MRLs for tungsten and tungsten compounds. 

No human studies were located regarding noncancer or cancer end points associated with chronicduration oral exposure to tungsten. Information concerning health effects in animals following chronicduration oral exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds is restricted to reports by Schroeder and 

Mitchener (1975a, 1975b) in which tungsten-treated (5 ppm of tungsten as sodium tungstate in the 

drinking water for a lifetime) and control rats and mice exhibited similar growth patterns and incidences 

of gross tumors. However, these studies were limited to assessment of growth, gross tumor incidence, 

and longevity. Limited study design, including lack of both dose-response data and comprehensive 

histopathologic examinations preclude their usefulness for MRL derivation. Results of well-designed 

chronic-duration oral studies in animals could serve as a basis to derive chronic-duration oral MRLs for 

tungsten and tungsten compounds. 

Recent findings of elevated tungsten body burdens in residents of Churchill County (City of Fallon), 

Nevada (CDC 2003b), and the discovery that a relatively limited amount of information is available 

concerning the potential for long-term adverse health effects following exposure to tungsten, have 

resulted in the nomination of tungsten by the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) for 

toxicological characterization, which includes carcinogenicity (NTP 2003). 

No human or animal data were located regarding noncancer or cancer end points associated with chronicduration dermal exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. Intramuscularly-implanted tungsten alloy 

(91.1% tungsten, 6.0% nickel, and 2.9% cobalt) was recently shown to rapidly cause aggressive tumors in 

rats (Kalinich et al. 2005). However, since both nickel and cobalt are known to cause tumors following 

intramuscular injection in rats (Heath 1954, 1956; Heath and Daniel 1964), the carcinogenic role of 

tungsten itself was not determined. 
 

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Genotoxicity. No information was located regarding tungsten-induced genotoxicity following 

inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds in humans or laboratory animals. 

Sodium tungstate was found to induce mutagenic activity in a bacterial bioluminescence test (Ulitzur and 

Barak 1988), lambda prophage in E. coli (Rossman et al. 1984, 1991), and gene conversion and reverse 

mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Singh 1983). An unspecified form of tungsten enhanced 

mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium (Miller and Page 1999). Tungstate anion induced forward 

mutation in Chinese hamster lung V79 cells in vitro (Zelikoff et al. 1986). Sodium tungstate did not 

increase sister chromatid exchanges in human whole blood cultures or cause chromosome aberrations in 

human lymphocytes or Syrian hamster embryo cells (Larramendy et al. 1981). Nor did sodium tungstate 

induce morphological transformation in Syrian hamster cells (DiPaolo and Casto 1979). Heavy metaltungsten alloys are capable of inducing neoplastic transformation of human osteoblast cells (Miller et al. 

2001). Pure tungsten is capable of inducing a similar effect (Miller et al. 2004), but at a significantly 

reduced magnitude relative to the heavy metal-tungsten alloys. Additional studies could be designed to 

further assess the potential for tungsten and tungsten compounds to induce genotoxicity. 

Reproductive Toxicity. No information was located regarding reproductive toxicity in humans 

following inhalation exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. Information in animals is restricted to 

a single account of decreased sperm motility (10–12% lower than controls) in male rats continuously 

exposed to atmospheres containing sodium tungstate powder for 17 weeks at concentrations of 1.0 and 

0.5 mg/m3

, but not at 0.1 mg/m3 (Idiyatullina 1981). 

No information was located regarding reproductive toxicity in humans following oral exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. Information in animals is restricted to reported embryotoxicity 

(expressed as increased percentages of pre- and post-implantation losses, relative to controls) following 

oral administration of an unspecified tungsten compound to adult female rats at a single dose level of 

0.005 mg/kg for up to 8 months before and during pregnancy (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko 

et al. 1977, 1978). However, deficiencies in study details regarding exposure and quantitative results 

render the results of these Russian studies of limited value for purposes of quantitative risk assessment. 

Additional well-designed animal studies would be useful to adequately assess the reproductive toxicity of 

orally-administered tungsten and tungsten compounds. Such studies could include standard reproductive 

toxicity studies as well as conventional intermediate-duration oral toxicity studies that would include an 

assessment of reproductive organ pathology. 
TUNGSTEN 67 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

No information was located regarding reproductive toxicity in humans or animals following dermal 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, inhalation is the most likely significant route of 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten in workers employed in industries that produce or use tungstencontaining products. Elevated levels of tungsten in groundwater, such as was detected in well water in 

Churchill County (City of Fallon), Nevada (CDC 2003b), indicate the potential for significant oral 

exposure to tungsten and tungsten compounds as well. It does not appear that additional studies of health 

effects associated with dermal exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds are necessary at this time. 

Developmental Toxicity. No information was located regarding developmental toxicity in humans 

or animals following inhalation exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. Animal studies could be 

performed to assess the potential for tungsten-induced developmental effects via the inhalation exposure 

route. 

No information was located regarding developmental toxicity in humans following oral exposure to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds. Information in animals is restricted to reported delayed fetal skeletal 

ossification following oral administration of an identified tungsten compound to adult female rats at a 

single dose level of 0.005 mg/kg for up to 8 months before and during pregnancy (Nadeenko and 

Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko et al. 1977, 1978). However, deficiencies in study details regarding exposure 

and quantitative results render the results of these Russian studies of limited value for purposes of 

quantitative risk assessment. Additional well-designed animal studies should be performed to adequately 

assess both pre- and post-natal potential for tungsten-induced developmental effects via the oral exposure 

route. 

No information was located regarding developmental toxicity in humans or animals following dermal 

exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. However, inhalation is the most likely significant route of 

exposure to tungsten in workers employed in industries that produce or use tungsten-containing products. 

Elevated levels of tungsten in groundwater, such as was detected in well water in Churchill County (City 

of Fallon), Nevada (CDC 2003b), indicate the potential for significant oral exposure to tungsten and 

tungsten compounds as well. It does not appear that additional studies of health effects associated with 

dermal exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds are necessary at this time. 

Immunotoxicity. No information was located concerning tungsten-induced immunotoxicity in 

humans or animals following inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. A 
TUNGSTEN 68 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

single report was located in which a marked inflammatory response characterized by infiltration of 

leukocytes in the lungs of mice following intracheal instillation of water-insoluble calcium tungstate 

powder (Peão et al. 1993). The inflammatory response was likely the result of local irritation rather than 

an adverse immunological effect. Repeated exposure animal studies by the inhalation exposure route 

could be designed to assess the immunotoxicity potential of tungsten. 

Neurotoxicity. No human data were located in which neurological signs could be associated with 

inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure to tungsten. Signs of memory and sensory deficits have been 

reported among workers in the hard metal industry who were exposed to atmospheres of hard metal dusts 

(Jordan et al. 1990; Kaplun and Mezentseva 1959; Vengerskaya and Salikhodzhaev 1962); however, 

these effects likely reflect exposure to cobalt, not tungsten. No studies were located regarding 

neurological effects in animals following inhalation exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. Results 

of available animal studies indicated clinical signs of neurotoxicity following acute oral dosing at levels 

resulting in death (Karantassis 1924) and learning deficits and brain lesions following repeated oral 

dosing (Nadeenko 1966) at sublethal doses. However, clinical signs at lethal doses are not a reliable 

indicator of primary neurotoxicity and the report of Nadeenko (1966) was not designed to adequately 

assess neurotoxicity end points. Additional well-designed neurotoxicity studies in animals exposed to 

tungsten or tungsten compounds via inhalation or oral exposure routes might serve to adequately assess 

the potential for tungsten to induce neurotoxicity. 

Epidemiological and Human Dosimetry Studies. Pulmonary fibrosis, memory and sensory 

deficits, and increased mortality due to lung cancer have been associated with occupational exposure to 

dusts generated in the hard metal industry (Bech 1974; Bech et al. 1962; Coates and Watson 1971a, 

1971b; Jordan et al. 1990; Kaplun and Mezentseva 1959; Lasfargues et al. 1994; Mezentseva 1967; Miller 

et al. 1953; Moulin et al. 1998; Vengerskaya and Salikhodzhaev 1962). Hard metal is an alloy or 

encapsulated mixture that is composed of tungsten or tungsten carbide and cobalt (primarily, although the 

alloys may also contain yttrium, thorium, copper, nickel, iron, or molybdenum). Historically, the 

respiratory and neurological effects observed in hard metal workers have been attributed to cobalt, not 

tungsten (see Davison et al. 1983; Harding 1950). However, based on the presence of tungsten oxide 

fibers in air samples taken at some hard metal facilities (Sahle 1992; Sahle et al. 1994) and 

demonstrations that tungsten oxide fibers are capable of generating hydroxyl radicals in human lung cells 

in vitro (Leanderson and Sahle 1995), it has been suggested that tungsten oxide fibers may contribute to 

the development of pulmonary fibrosis in hard metal workers. 
 

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The most likely identifiable subpopulations exposed to tungsten are workers in the hard metal industry. 

Available human and animal data do not appear to clearly identify targets of toxicity for tungsten. 

Additional epidemiological studies of tungsten should attempt to identify exposure scenarios that may not 

be confounded by other known toxicants. Such exposure scenarios might provide valuable information 

regarding potential tungsten-induced toxicity. Studies of dosimetry would be useful in future 

epidemiological studies. 

Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect. 

Exposure. Tungsten can be detected in blood (Bowen 1966; Hartung 1991), urine (Paschal et al. 1998), 

feces , and tissue samples (Bowen 1966; Iyengar et al. 1978). Since a large percentage of absorbed 

tungsten is rapidly eliminated from the body, detection would be most effective within a few days 

following short-term exposure or termination of longer-term exposure. Additional information regarding 

relationships between tungsten body burden and exposure levels could improve the ability to monitor 

workers’ exposure to tungsten. 

Effect. Biomarkers of effect for tungsten and tungsten compounds have not been definitively identified. 

Additional animal studies designed to assess health effects associated with tungsten should elucidate 

biomarkers of effect. 

Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion. Human reports demonstrate that inhaled 

and ingested tungsten may be absorbed, distributed systemically, and eliminated to a large extent in the 

urine (Marquet et al. 1997; Nicolaou et al. 1987; Wester 1974). Animal studies support the human data 

and further demonstrate that distribution is rapid and widespread and that urinary excretion is also rapid 

(Aamodt 1975; Ballou 1960; Kaye 1968). Tungsten that is deposited in bone (Kaye 1968; Kinard and 

Aull 1945) may be slowly released to the blood and also eliminated mainly in the urine (Kaye 1968). 

Insoluble forms of orally-administered tungsten are chiefly eliminated in the feces. Tungsten has been 

detected in hair and nail samples of hard metal workers (Nicolaou et al. 1987). Tungsten ion in the body 

is not known to be metabolized as such. Additional quantitative information regarding absorption and 

distribution of inhaled or ingested tungsten and tungsten compounds could be used to improve existing 

PBPK models of the biokinetics of tungsten (ICRP 1981, 2001; Leggett 1997). Although the dermal 

exposure route does not appear to be a major human exposure route for tungsten, animal studies could be 

designed to quantify the toxicokinetics of tungsten following dermal exposure. 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 70 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

Comparative Toxicokinetics. Relatively little information is available regarding comparative 

toxicokinetics for tungsten and tungsten compounds. Available information concerning absorption, 

distribution, and elimination of tungsten in rats and dogs (Aamodt 1975; Ballou 1960; Kaye 1968) do not 

indicate major species-specific differences in biokinetics, Available toxicokinetic data in humans 

(Marquet et al. 1997; Nicolaou et al. 1987; Wester 1974), which have qualitatively demonstrated that 

airborne and ingested tungsten is absorbed and eliminated, do not indicate that the biokinetics of tungsten 

may differ greatly between humans and laboratory animals. Apparent species-specific differences in the 

dietary requirement for molybdenum (Higgins et al. 1956b), coupled with similarities in the biokinetics of 

molybdenum and tungsten, suggest that significant species-specific differences in the biokinetics of 

tungsten may exist. Additional animal toxicokinetic studies could be designed to identify species-specific 

differences that could serve to improve existing biokinetic models and elucidate specific mechanisms of 

action for tungsten. 

Methods for Reducing Toxic Effects. Mechanisms concerning absorption, distribution, and toxic 

action of tungsten have not been studied to date; studies should be designed to identify such mechanisms. 

No established methods or treatments for reducing the body burden of tungsten were identified in 

literature searches. No information was located regarding treatments to repair damage or improve 

compromised function resulting from exposure to tungsten. Well-designed mechanistic studies might 

provide valuable information that could aid in elucidating treatments to reduce tungsten body burden or 

repair tungsten-induced damage. 

Children’s Susceptibility. Data needs relating to both prenatal and childhood exposures, and 

developmental effects expressed either prenatally or during childhood, are discussed in detail in the 

Developmental Toxicity subsection above. 

Results of studies published in Russian journals suggest that developing fetuses may be particularly 

sensitive to tungsten (Nadeenko and Lenchenko 1977; Nadeenko et al. 1977, 1978). However, 

deficiencies in study details regarding exposure and quantitative results render the results of these Russian 

studies of limited value for purposes of quantitative risk assessment. Tungsten has been observed to cross 

the placenta of pregnant rats and to be distributed to the fetus (Wide et al. 1986). Measurable amounts of 

tungsten have been observed in the milk of lactating cows (Mullen et al. 1976). However, no information 

was located regarding potentially significant age-related differences in the biokinetics of tungsten. No 

information was located regarding the potential for tungsten to interact with other chemicals in such a 

way to produce age-related differences in resulting toxicity. Based on the lack of information regarding 
TUNGSTEN 71 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

the toxic effects of tungsten and potential for age-related differences in susceptibility, animal studies 

should be designed to further assess health effects that may be related to tungsten. Some of these studies 

could be designed to test for potential age-related differences in susceptibility and biokinetics as well. 

Child health data needs relating to exposure are discussed in Section 6.8.1, Identification of Data Needs: 

Exposures of Children. 

3.12.3 Ongoing Studies 

No ongoing research has been identified in the Federal Research in Progress database (FEDRIP 2004). 

However, tungsten has been nominated by the National Center for Environmental Health for toxicological 

characterization including carcinogenicity (NTP 2003). Rationale for the nomination includes the use of 

tungsten in industrial materials and insufficient available data to assess human health implications of 

elevated urinary tungsten levels. The NTP Interagency Committee for Chemical Evaluation and 

Coordination (ICCEC) has recommended that toxicological studies should focus on a representative 

soluble tungsten compound. 

The Armed Forces Radiological Research Institute (AFRRI) is currently receiving funding from the 

United States Army Medical Research and Material Command (USAMRMC) to assess the potential for 

embedded uranium and the heavy-metal tungsten alloy (tungsten/nickel/cobalt) to induce carcinogenicity 

and immunotoxicity in rats (principal investigator: Dr. J.F. Kalinich) and genetic damage in male mice 

and their offspring (principal investigator: Dr. A.C. Miller). 

The following three AFFRI proposals have been submitted to the USAMRMC for review: 

•	 Carcinogenicity of embedded tungsten alloy in mice (principal investigator: Dr. D.E. McClain). 

This project aims to support the findings of the earlier study in rats (Kalinich et al. 2005). 

•	 Carcinogenicity and immunotoxicity assessment of tungsten alloy components in the rat 

(principal investigator: Dr. J.F. Kalinich). This project will assess the carcinogenic and 

immunotoxic potential of the heavy-metal tungsten alloy (tungsten/nickel/iron), as well as the 

individual metals of the alloy. 

•	 Preconceptional paternal exposure to embedded tungsten alloy fragments: Lifespan study of 

offspring carcinogenesis (principal investigator: Dr. A.C. Miller). The objective of this study is 
TUNGSTEN 72 

3. HEALTH EFFECTS 

to investigate whether paternal preconceptional exposure to embedded tungsten alloy causes 

neoplasia in unexposed offspring. 
TUNGSTEN 73 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

4.1 CHEMICAL IDENTITY 

Tungsten is a naturally occurring element found in the earth=s surface rocks. Tungsten metal typically 

does not occur as the free element in nature. Of the more than 20 tungsten-bearing minerals, some of the 

commonly used commercial ones include feberite (iron tungstate), huebnerite (manganese tungstate), 

wolframite (iron-manganese tungstate), and scheelite (calcium tungstate). Tungsten appears in Group 

VIB of the periodic table. Natural tungsten is composed of five stable isotopes: 180W (0.12%), 182W 

(26.5%), 183W (14.3%), 184W (30.6%), and 186W (28.4%). Twenty-eight radioactive isotopes of tungsten 

are known; most of these isotopes have short half-lives. Tungsten forms a variety of different 

compounds, such as tungsten trioxide, tungsten carbide, and ammonium paratungstate (Penrice 1997a). 

Information regarding the chemical identity of elemental tungsten and tungsten compounds is located in 

Table 4-1. 

4.2 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES 

Tungsten has several common oxidation states (e.g., W[0], W[2+], W[3+], W[4+], W[5+], and W[6+]). 

However, tungsten alone has not been observed as a cation. Tungsten is stable, and therefore its most 

common valence state is +6. The naturally occurring isotopes of tungsten are 180 (0.135%), 182 (26.4%), 

183 (14.4%), 184 (30.6%), and 186 (28.4%). Artificial radioactive isotopes of tungsten are 173–179, 181, 

185, and 187–189 (O’Neil et al. 2001). Elemental tungsten metal is stable in dry air at room temperature. 

Above 400 °C, tungsten is susceptible to oxidation. Tungsten is resistant to many chemicals and is also a 

good electrical conductor (Penrice 1997a). Information regarding the physical and chemical properties of 

elemental tungsten is located in Table 4-2. 

Tungsten compounds differ widely in stereochemistry and oxidation states. Tungsten forms binary halide 

compounds for all oxidation states between +2 and +6. Oxyhalide compounds are only known for 

oxidation states +5 and +6. In general, tungsten halogen compounds are reactive toward water and 

oxygen in air. These compounds are all solid, colored compounds at room temperature, except the 

fluorides, and many decompose on heating before melting. Tungsten oxides form a series of well-defined 

ordered phases to which precise stoichiometric formulas can be assigned. The composition of the 
Table 4-1. Chemical Identity of Tungsten and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Characteristic Tungsten Tungsten oxide Tungsten trioxide 

Synonyms 

Registered trade 

name(s) 

Chemical formula 

Chemical structure 

Identification numbers: 

 CASregistry 

 NIOSHRTECS 

EPA hazardous waste 

OHM/TADS 

DOT/UN/NA/ IMCO 

shipping 

 HSDB

NCI 

Wolfram; VA (tungsten) Tungsten oxide; tungsten 

dioxide 

Tungsten; Wolfram No data 

W O2W 

W W

O O 

7440-33-7 12036-22-5 

YO7175000 No data 

No data No data 

No data No data 

No data No data 

5036 No data 

No data No data 

Tungsten blue; tungsten 

oxide (WO3); tungsten 

trioxide; tungsten(VI) 

oxide; tungstic acid; 

tungstic acid anhydride; 

tungstic anhydride; 

tungstic oxide; wolframic 

acid, anhydride 

No data 

O3W 

O

W 

O O 

1314-35-8 

Y07760000 

No data 

No data 

No data 

5800
 

77901 

 

TUNGSTEN 74 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 75 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

Table 4-1. Chemical Identity of Tungsten and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Characteristic 

Synonyms 

Registered trade 

name(s) 

Chemical formula 

Tungsten carbide 

Tungsten carbide; 

tungsten monocarbide 

Tungsten carbide 

CW 

Ditungsten carbide 

Tungsten carbide 

No data 

CW2 

Tungsten carbonyl 

Hexacarbonyltungsten; 

tungsten carbonyl; 

tungsten hexacarbonyl 

No data 

C6O6W 

Chemical structure WC W2C COCO 

OC W CO 

OC CO 

Identification numbers: 

CAS registry 

NIOSH RTECS 

12070-12-1; 11130-73-7 

YO7250000 

12070-13-2 

No data 

14040-11-0 

YO7705000 

EPA hazardous waste No data No data No data 

OHM/TADS 

DOT/UN/NA/ IMCO 

shipping 

HSDB 

No data 

No data 

2932 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

NCI 61198 No data No data 
 

Table 4-1. Chemical Identity of Tungsten and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Characteristic Tungsten Sodium tungstate, 

chloride dihydride Sodium phosphotungstate 

Synonyms 

Registered trade 

name(s) 

Chemical formula 

Chemical structure 

Identification numbers: 

CAS registry 

NIOSH RTECS 

EPA hazardous waste 

OHM/TADS 

DOT/UN/NA/ IMCO 

shipping 

HSDB 

NCI 

Hexachlorotungsten; 

tungsten 

hexachloride; 

wolfram hexachloride 

No data 

Cl6W 

Cl Cl 

Cl W Cl 

Cl Cl 

13283-01-7 

YO7710000 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

Disodium tetraoxatungstate 

(2-), dihydrate; tetraoxotungstate (2-); disodium 

tungstate, dihydrate; sodium 

tungsten oxide, dihydrate; 

sodium wolframate, dihydrate; 

tungstic acid, disodium salt, 

dihydrate 

No data 

O4 NaW2 • 2H2O (dihydrate) 

H 

O + 

H 

Na O O 

W 

Na+

O O 

O 

H H 

10213-10-2 (dihydride); 

13472-45-2 (anhydrous) 

YO7900000; YO7875000 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

Sodium tungstophosphate; 

tungstophosphoric acid, 

sodium salt; sodium-12­

tungstophosphate 

No data 

ca. 2Na2OP2O5 • 12WO3 •

18H2O 

O2­

O W O 

O PO 

O Na

+ 

51312-42-6 

TH5775000 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

TUNGSTEN 76 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 77 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

Table 4-1. Chemical Identity of Tungsten and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Characteristic Ammonium paratungstate Tungstate hexafluoride 

Synonyms 

Registered trade 

name(s) 

Chemical formula 

APT 

No data 

H24N6O24W7 

Tungsten hexafluoride; 

tungsten fluoride 

No data 

F6W 

Chemical structure (NH4)6W7O24 F F 

F W F 

F F 

Identification numbers: 

CAS registry 

NIOSH RTECS 

12028-06-7 (anhydrous); 12208-54-7 

(hexahydrate) 

No data; BS0480000 

7783-82-6 

YO7720000 

EPA hazardous waste No data No data 

OHM/TADS 

DOT/UN/NA/IMCO 

shipping 

HSDB 

No data 

No data 

No data 

No data 

UN 2196 

No data 

NCI No data No data 

a

Sources: Chemfinder 2004; ChemID 2004; HSDB 2004; NIOSH 1990; RTECS 2004 

CAS = Chemical Abstracts Service; DOT/UN/NA/IMCO = Department of Transportation/United Nations/North 

America/International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code; EPA = Environmental Protection Agency; 

HSDB = Hazardous Substances Data Bank; NCI = National Cancer Institute; NIOSH = National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health; OHM/TADS = Oil and Hazardous Materials/Technical Assistance Data System; 

RTECS = Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 78 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

Table 4-2. Physical and Chemical Properties of Tungsten 

and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Property Tungsten Tungsten oxide Tungsten trioxide 

Molecular weight 183.85 215.84b 231.85 

Color Steel-gray to tin-white Blueb Canary yellow; 

dark orange when heatedc 

Physical state Solid metal Solidb Solid 

Melting point 3,410 °C 1,500–1,700 °C 1,472 °C 

(decomposes) 

Boiling point 5,900 °C at 760 mm Hg Not applicable No data 

Density (g/cm3

) 18.7–19.3 at 20 °C/4 °C 10.82 (theoretical) 7.2 

Odor No data No data No data 

Odor threshold: 

Water (mL/g) No data No data No data 

Air No data No data No data 

Solubility: 

Water No data Insolubleb Insoluble 

Other solvent(s) Soluble in mixture of nitric 

acid and hydrofluoric acid 

Insoluble in organic 

solventsb 

Caustic alkalies; very slightly 

soluble in acids; slightly soluble 

in hydrofluoric acid 

Partition coefficients: 

Kd (mL/g) Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 

Kow Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 

Koc Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 

Vapor pressure 1.97x10-7 mm Hg at No data No data 

2,327 °C 

Henry’s law constant No data No data No data 

Autoignition Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 

temperature 

Flashpoint Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 

Flammability limits Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 

Conversion factor Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 

Explosive limits Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 79 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

Table 4-2. Physical and Chemical Properties of Tungsten 

and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Property Tungsten carbide Ditungsten carbide Tungsten carbonyl 

Molecular weight 195.85 379.69b 351.90b 

Color Gray No data Whiteb 

Physical state Solid Solidb Solidb 

Melting point 2,785 °C ~2,800 °Cb 170 °C (decomposes)b 

Boiling point 6,000 °C No datab Sublimes in vacuob,d 

Density (g/cm3) 15.6 14.8b 2.65b 

Odor No data No data No data 

Odor threshold: 

Water (mL/g) No data No data No data 

Air No data No data No data 

Solubility: 

Water Insoluble Insolubleb Insolubleb 

Other solvent(s) Soluble in nitric acid/ No data Soluble in organic solventsb 

hydrogen fluoride; aqua 

regia 

Partition coefficients: 

Kd (mL/g) Not applicable Not applicable No data 

Kow Not applicable Not applicable No data 

Koc Not applicable Not applicable No data 

Vapor pressure 7.5x10-3 mm Hg at 

3,204 °Cb 

No data 0.1 mm Hg at 20 °Cc 

1.20 mm Hg at 67 °Cc 

Henry’s law constant No data No data No data 

Autoignition Not applicable Not applicable No data 

temperature 

Flashpoint Not applicable Not applicable No data 

Flammability limits Not applicable Not applicable No data 

Conversion factor Not applicable Not applicable No data 

Explosive limits Not applicable Not applicable No data 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 80 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

Table 4-2. Physical and Chemical Properties of Tungsten 

and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Property Tungsten chloride Sodium tungstate, dihydrate Sodium phosphotungstate 

Molecular weight 396.56b 329.85b No data 

Color	 Purpleb Whiteb

; colorlesse Whitec 

Physical state Solidb Solidb Solidd 

Melting point 275 °C Decomposes at 100 °C with No data 

loss of waterd

 and then melts 

at 692 °Cf 

Boiling point 346.75 °C Not applicable No data 

Density (g/cm3

) 3.52 3.25b No data 

Odor No data Odorless Odorless 

Odor threshold: 

Water (mL/g) No data No data No data 

Air No data No data No data 

Solubility: 

Water Decomposesd Very solubleb

; about 1.1 parts Very solublee 

water (ca. 1x106 mg/L)c 

Other solvent(s) Soluble in ethanol, Insoluble in alcohol and acidse Very soluble in alcoholse 

organic solventsb, 

lingroine 

Partition coefficients: 

Kd (mL/g) No data No data No data 

Kow No data No data No data 

Koc No data No data No data 

Vapor pressure 43 mm Hg at No data No data 

215 °Ce 

Henry’s law constant No data No data No data 

Autoignition No data Not applicable No data 

temperature 

Flashpoint No data Not applicable No data 

Flammability limits No data Not applicable No data 

Conversion factor No data Not applicable No data 

Explosive limits No data Not applicable No data 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 81 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

Table 4-2. Physical and Chemical Properties of Tungsten 

and Tungsten Compoundsa 

Property Ammonium paratungstate Tungstate hexafluoride 

Molecular weight 1779.16f 297.83b 

Color Whitee Colorlessb; 

Pale yellow (liquid)c 

Physical state Solide Gas at room temperatureb 

Melting point No data 2.3 °Cb 

Boiling point No data 17 °Cb 

Density (g/cm3) No data 12.173b 

Odor No data No data 

Odor threshold: 

Water No data No data 

Air No data No data 

Solubility: 

Water Solublee Reacts with waterb 

Other solvent(s) Insoluble in alcohole Dissolves in benzene, cyclohexane, or dioxane; 

soluble in anhydrous hydrogen fluoridee 

Partition coefficients: 

Kd (mL/g) No data No data 

Kow No data No data 

Koc No data No data 

Vapor pressure (mm Hg) No data Gas at room temperatureb 

Henry’s law constant No data No data 

Autoignition temperature No data No data 

Flashpoint No data No data 

Flammability limits No data No data 

Conversion factor No data No data 

Explosive limits No data No data 

a

Information obtained from HSDB 2004, except where noted.

b

Lide 2000 

c

O’Neil et al. 2001 

d

Penrice 1997b 

e

Lewis 1997 

f

Ashford 1994 
TUNGSTEN 82 

4. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 

tungsten oxide may also vary over a fixed range without change in crystalline structure (Penrice 1997b). 

A unique characteristic of tungsten is its ability to form condensed complex ions of polytungstates in acid 

solution (e.g., ammonium paratungstate, [NH4]10[H2W12O42]·4H2O). The tungstate anion (WO4

2-) exists 

in monomeric form only in strongly alkaline solutions. In mildly alkaline solution, the tungstate anions 

begin to polymerize, and this progresses with decreasing pH (Lassner et al. 1996). Tungstate complexes 

(WO4

2-) of the alkali metals and magnesium are soluble in water. Tungsten forms hard, refractory, and 

chemically stable interstitial compounds with nonmetals, particularly carbon, nitrogen, boron, and silicon 

(Penrice 1997b). Information regarding the physical and chemical properties of tungsten compounds is 

located in Table 4-2. 
TUNGSTEN 83 

5. PRODUCTION, IMPORT/EXPORT, USE, AND DISPOSAL 

5.1 PRODUCTION 

No information is available in the TRI database on facilities that manufacture or process tungsten because 

this chemical is not required to be reported under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community 

Right-to-Know Act (Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986) (EPA 

1997a). 

Mining of tungsten is almost exclusively by underground methods. Since the tungsten content of typical 

deposits is only 0.3–1.5% WO3, all mines have beneficiation facilities that produce a concentrate 

containing 60–75% WO3. During the beneficiation process, the ores are crushed and ground in stages 

with the fine fractions being removed after each stage and the coarse fraction being recirculated. Because 

tungsten minerals have a high specific gravity, they can be beneficiated by gravity separation, usually by 

tabling. The ore concentrate may first be pretreated by acid leaching with hydrochloric acid or roasting 

with soda ash in an autoclave with a solution of aqueous sodium carbonate at ca. 200 °C and a pressure of 

>11.9 atm. This is followed by digestion to extract the tungsten as sodium tungstate. This compound is 

subsequently converted to ammonium tungstate by means of a liquid ion-exchange process. The solvent 

is then evaporated and tungsten is converted to crystalline ammonium paratungstate (APT, 

[NH4]10[H2W12O42]·4H2O). Tungsten metal powder is obtained from ammonium paratungstate by 

stepwise reduction with carbon or hydrogen. The reduction is carried out in either tube or rotary furnaces. 

Tungsten carbide is produced by heating tungsten metal powder and carbon black at high temperatures. 

The presence of hydrogen or a hydrocarbon gas catalyzes the reaction. Tungsten carbide may also be 

prepared from oxygen containing tungsten compounds. Tungsten hexachloride is prepared by the direct 

chlorination of pure tungsten metal in a flow system at 1 atmosphere and 600 °C. Tungsten hexafluoride 

may be prepared by treating hydrogen fluoride, arsenic trifluoride, or antimony pentafluoride or by direct 

fluorination of tungsten metal powder. Tungsten hexacarbonyl may be prepared by the aluminum 

reduction of tungsten hexachloride in anhydrous ether under a pressure of ca. 1 atm of carbon monoxide 

at 70 °C. Tungsten trioxide is usually prepared from tungstic acid or tungstates (Penrice 1997a, 1997b). 

Ferrotungsten is produced by carbothermic reduction in an electric arc furnace or by metallothermic 

reduction with silicon and/or aluminum (Lassner et al. 1996). 
TUNGSTEN 84 

5. PRODUCTION, IMPORT/EXPORT, USE, AND DISPOSAL 

No tungsten was reported to have been mined in the United States in 2003. World production of tungsten 

concentrates was 62,100 metric tons in 2003. The primary world producer of tungsten concentrates is 

China, which produced 52,000 metric tons in 2003. The U.S. supply of raw tungsten is comprised of 

imports, tungsten-bearing scrap, releases from industrial stocks, and sales of excess materials from the 

National Defense Stockpile. Major processors of tungsten materials operating in 2003 included (USGS 

2003a): Allegheny Technologies Inc.’s Metalworking Products business (Huntsville, Alabama); Buffalo 

Tungsten, Inc. (Depew, New York); General Electric Co. (Euclid, Ohio); Kennametal, Inc. (Latrobe, 

Pennsylvania; Fallon, Nevada); and Osram Sylvania, Inc. (Towanda, Pennsylvania). 

Producers of tungsten compounds in the United States in 2003 are as follows (SRI 2003): Tungsten 

carbide: Alldyne Powder Technologies (Huntsville, Alabama); Dow Chemical U.S.A. (Midland, 

Michigan; Traverse City, Michigan); Geoliquids, Inc. (Prospect Heights, Illinois); OMG Apex (St. 

George, Utah); and Osram Sylvania, Inc. (Towanda, Pennsylvania). Tungsten trioxide: Johnson 

Matthey, Inc. (Ward Hill, Massachusetts); and Osram Sylvania, Inc. (Towanda, Pennsylvania). Tungsten 

hexafluoride: Air Products and Chemicals (Hometown, Pennsylvania) and Ozark Fluorine Specialties 

(Tulsa, Oklahoma). Tungsten carbonyl: Strem Chemicals, Inc. (Newburyport, Massachusetts). Tungsten 

hexachloride: Osram Sylvania, Inc. (Towanda, Pennsylvania). 

Since tungsten and tungsten compounds are not covered under Superfund Amendments and 

Reauthorization Act (SARA), Title III, manufacturers and users are not required to report releases to the 

EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory. 

5.2 IMPORT/EXPORT 

In 2003 approximately 12,300 metric tons of tungsten concentrates and other forms were imported into 

the United States amounting to approximately 21% of world production. The largest amounts of 

tungsten-bearing materials imported for consumption into the United States were from China (e.g., 

4,790 metric tons in 2003). Tungsten concentrates and other forms imported for consumption were 

11,100, 10,200, 10,800, and 10,600 metric tons for the years 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, respectively 

(USGS 2003a, 2004a, 2004b). 

In 2003, approximately 5,090 metric tons of tungsten concentrates and other forms were exported from 

the United States. Exports of tungsten concentrates and other forms were 2,880, 2,870, 5,080, and 

3,310 metric tons for the years 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, respectively (USGS 2004a, 2004b). 
TUNGSTEN 85 

5. PRODUCTION, IMPORT/EXPORT, USE, AND DISPOSAL 

5.3 USE 

Tungsten is consumed in the form of tungsten carbide (65%), alloy additives (16%), metallic tungsten 

(16%), and tungsten chemicals (3%). Tungsten carbide, because of its high hardness at high temperature, 

is used as a component of cutting tools, abrasion-resistant surfaces, and forming tools. It is used 

primarily in the form of cemented carbides, which are used for cutting tools, mining and drilling tools, 

forming and drawing dies, bearings, valve seats, and several other wear-resistant applications. As an 

alloy additive, tungsten metal imparts high-temperature strength and wear resistance in steel, nickel, and 

cobalt-based super-alloys. Metallic tungsten is used as welding electrodes (e.g., thoriated tungsten); in 

the manufacture of lamp filaments; as an electron emitter; in x-ray and electron tubes, turbine blades, 

counterbalance weights, golf club components, darts, and fishing weights; as furnace elements; as heat 

shields; as vacuum metalizing coils and boats; in glass melting equipment; and as arc-lamp electrodes; in 

contact points (for vehicle, telegraph, radio, and television equipment), in rocket nozzles and other 

aerospace applications, and in high-speed rotors (e.g., gyroscopes) (Dermatas et al. 2004; Lassner and 

Schubert 1999; USGS 1999, 2001). It is also used in high-speed impact printers, in glass-to-metal seals, 

and as a base for silicon semiconductors (O’Neil et al. 2001; Penrice 1997a, 1997b). An increasing use is 

in military weaponry, in which tungsten alloys are used as an alternate to depleted uranium for armor 

penetration and tungsten is replacing lead in “green” bullets. Currently, 200 million tungsten bullets are 

produced annually, using an ounce of tungsten each (>5,500 tons) (ITIA 2001). Tungsten chemicals, 

especially the oxides, sulfides, and heterpoly complexes, form stable catalysts for a variety of commercial 

chemical processes. Tungsten hexachloride is used for preparing tungsten metathesis catalysts and 

metallic tungsten films. Sodium tungstate is used in the manufacture of heteropolyacid color lakes used 

in printing inks, plants, waxes, glasses, and textiles and as a fuel-cell electrode material, and in cigarette 

filters. Other uses of sodium tungstate include the manufacture of tungsten-based catalysts and for 

fireproofing textiles. Ammonium paratungstate is commercially significant because it is the precursor of 

high purity tungsten oxides, tungsten, and tungsten carbide powders. Tungsten trioxide is a principal 

source of tungsten metal and tungsten carbide powders. It is also used as a pigment in oil and water 

colors, in a wide variety of catalysts, and in the control of air pollution and industrial hygiene (O’Neil et 

al. 2001; Penrice 1997a, 1997b). Tungsten hexafluoride is used by the electronics industry as a source of 

tungsten metal that connects the aluminum layers within semiconductor devices (USGS 2001). 

Ferrotungsten is primarily used as an alloying material in the steel industry (Lassner et al. 1996). 
TUNGSTEN 86 

5. PRODUCTION, IMPORT/EXPORT, USE, AND DISPOSAL 

5.4 DISPOSAL 

A significant percentage of tungsten is recycled. During the year 2002, the tungsten content of scrap 

consumed by processors and end-users was estimated at 4,380 metric tons. This represented 

approximately 37% of apparent U.S. consumption of tungsten in all forms (USGS 2002). 

Most tungsten minerals, tungsten compounds, and tungsten-containing materials do not require special 

disposal and handling requirements. However, some chemical forms may be classified as hazardous 

materials if the compound is chemically reactive, flammable, or toxic. Care should be taken to read and 

understand all of the hazards, precautions, and safety procedures for each specific chemical form. In 

addition, all federal, state, and local laws and regulations should be investigated and subsequently 

followed with regard to disposal and handling of the specific chemical form of the tungsten compound or 

material. 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 87 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

6.1 OVERVIEW
 

Tungsten has been identified in at least 6 of the 1,662 hazardous waste sites that have been proposed for 

inclusion on the EPA National Priorities List (NPL) (HazDat 2005). However, the number of sites 

evaluated for tungsten is not known. The frequency of these sites can be seen in Figure 6-1. Of these 

sites, all are located within the United States. 

The concentration of tungsten in surface soil and streambed sediment varies by location across the 

continental United States. Figure 6-2 is a composite United States Geological Survey (USGS) dataset 

obtained using various analytical methods over many years, and shows a concentration range from <1 to 

>17 ppm. Though not depicted in Figure 6-2, some measured levels in Alaska exceed 24 ppm. The 

analysis of archived and supplemental samples using newer and more accurate techniques is enabling the 

USGS to produce improved maps, which currently include portions of the east coast, Alaska, Nevada, and 

California (USGS 2005). 

Tungsten is naturally released to the atmosphere as windblown dusts. Processes of human origin, such as 

ore processing, hard-metal fabrication, tungsten carbide production and use, and municipal waste 

combustion, release tungsten to the atmosphere. Tungsten naturally enters waterways through the 

weathering of rocks and soils. The sources of anthropogenic releases of tungsten to surface waters 

include water effluents from tungsten mining and manufacturing processes. Deposition of atmospheric 

tungsten particulate aerosols from both natural and sources of human origin is also a source of tungsten in 

surface waters. Some tungsten compounds are naturally present in soil, but the concentration of tungsten 

in localized soils can be increased by land application of sewage sludge, fertilizers, municipal solid waste 

ash, and industrial wastes that contain tungsten, or deposition of atmospheric aerosols. 

Atmospheric tungsten particulates will eventually settle to the earth's surface by dry deposition or may be 

removed from the atmosphere by wet deposition (i.e., precipitation). Upon reaching water and soil, 

tungsten will be in either soluble (e.g., tungstate ion, WO4

2-) or insoluble forms (e.g., tungsten trioxide) in 

sediment and soil. The mobility of tungsten will depend on environmental conditions such as pH. Under 

normal environmental conditions, tungsten is expected to have moderate to low mobility. Although 

chemical reactions may transform one tungsten compound into another, tungsten cannot be degraded by 
TUNGSTEN 88 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Figure 6-1. Frequency of NPL Sites with Tungsten Contamination 

Frequency of 

NPL Sites 

1
 

2
 

Derived from HazDat 2005
 
TUNGSTEN 89 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Figure 6-2. Tungsten Soil and Streambed Concentration Maps (USGS 2005) 

Data from the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) using a variety of analytical methods. The background 

coloration indicates the tungsten detection limit for analytical methods employed in a particular region. For example, 

violet in the west-central United States indicates that detection limits were in the range of 1.914–7.455 ppm. 

Data from instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) showing tungsten concentrations in excess of 2 ppm along 

the Appalachian ridge. According to USGS (2005), the INAA method provides more accurate and uniform results 

than those provided by NURE. Data points are being added to provide greater map coverage. 
 

TUNGSTEN 90 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

environmental reactions. Data regarding transformation reactions of tungsten in water and soil are 

limited. No information was available in the literature on the bioavailability of tungsten to plants and 

animals. 

The concentration of tungsten in ambient air is <10 ng/m3

 (Dames et al. 1970; Haddad and Zikobsky 

1985; Jagielak and Mamont-Cieśla 1979). Tungsten has not been reported in surface water or 

groundwater of the United States, except in areas of mineral formations containing tungsten. Tungsten is 

the 18th most abundant metal, having an estimated concentration in the earth’s surface rocks of 1– 

1.3 mg/kg (Penrice 1997a). Tungsten concentrations in soils and surface soils are 0.5–83 and 0.68– 

2.7 mg/kg dry weight, respectively (Senesi et al. 1988). No monitoring data were located for food in the 

United States. Since tungsten is in soil, the absence of monitoring data for water and food indicates that 

analytical laboratories may not have been analyzing for this substance. Analyzing such samples using 

adequately low detection limits could find tungsten at measurable levels. For example, onions collected 

from 11 Danish sites uncontaminated by human activities other than routine agricultural practices 

contained tungsten at a mean level of 16.7 μg/kg fresh weight (n=64; range, 6.3–39 μg/kg) (Bibak et al. 

1998). 

The general population may be exposed to tungsten through inhalation of air and consumption of food. 

Exposure to tungsten above background levels may occur to the general population living near industries 

that process or use tungsten or its compounds, and to those living near hazardous sites that contain high 

concentrations of tungsten. However, the total tungsten intake by the general U.S. population cannot be 

accurately estimated due to the lack of data regarding tungsten content in food and drinking water. 

People who work in tungsten manufacturing, fabricating, and reclaiming industries are exposed to higher 

levels of tungsten and its compounds than the general population. Tungsten poses a relatively new 

exposure concern due to its increasing use in armor-piercing munitions and as a replacement for lead in 

other ammunition. 

6.2 RELEASES TO THE ENVIRONMENT 

The TRI data should be used with caution because only certain types of facilities are required to report 

(EPA 1997a). This is not an exhaustive list. Manufacturing and processing facilities are required to 

report information to the Toxics Release Inventory only if they employ 10 or more full-time employees; if 

their facility is classified under Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes 20–39; and if their facility 
TUNGSTEN 91 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

produces, imports, or processes ≥25,000 pounds of any TRI chemical or otherwise uses >10,000 pounds 

of a TRI chemical in a calendar year (EPA 1997a). 

There is no information on releases of tungsten to the atmosphere from manufacturing and processing 

facilities because these releases are not required to be reported (EPA 1997a). 

6.2.1 Air 

Tungsten naturally occurs in the earth’s crust and is released into the atmosphere as a result of natural 

processes such as entrainment of dust particles and resuspension of soil by wind. Entrainment of soil and 

dust particles with significant concentrations of tungsten would be most significant in areas with higher 

soil tungsten concentrations. Human activities, including milling and processing of tungsten and its 

compounds, burning of coal and municipal solid waste, and land application of fertilizers, release 

tungsten into the atmosphere. 

Tungsten and its compounds may be emitted into the atmosphere during milling and processing 

operations. In the production of tungsten carbide materials for the hard-metal industry, tungsten oxide 

fibers were released as a by-product during the reduction stage of the raw material (Sahle et al. 1994). In 

1978, Germani et al. (1981) measured an average tungsten concentration of 15±2 ng/m3 

(0.015±0.002 μg/m3

) in particulate emissions from five copper smelters in southeast Arizona. The 

concentrations of tungsten in the ore, ore concentrate, and electrostatic precipitator dust from these 

smelters were 4.0±0.4, 4±1, and 44±8 μg/g, respectively. 

Tungsten may be discharged into the atmosphere from the operation of urban municipal waste 

incineration (MWI) plants. The concentration of tungsten in fly ash from the MWI plants in Barcelona, 

Spain ranged from 13 to 17 μg/g in two samples (Fernandez et al. 1992). Particle-borne tungsten 

concentration in stack air emissions of two coal-burning units in a Western U.S. power plant ranged from 

2.0 to 23.2 μg/m3

. Atmospheric concentrations of particle-borne tungsten in a power plant plume were 

0.019±0.003 μg/m3

, not detected (i.e., 0.0050±0.011 μg/m3) and not detected at a distance of 0–8, 8–16, 

and 32–64 km, respectively, from the power plant (Ondov et al. 1989). Air emissions from three different 

municipal waste deposits in British Columbia, Canada were sampled and analyzed for airborne tungsten 

compounds (e.g., tungsten carbonyl, W[CO]6). At these locations, tungsten compounds were found at 

concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 0.01 μg W/m3

 (Feldmann and Cullen 1997). 
 

TUNGSTEN 92 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Tungsten has been identified in outdoor air at one site (i.e., Eastern Michaud Flats Contamination, Idaho) 

of the six NPL hazardous waste sites where it was detected in some environmental media (HazDat 2004). 

6.2.2 Water 

Anthropogenic and natural emissions of tungsten to water may result from mining operations and mineral 

weathering, respectively. Releases to surface water and groundwater typically occur in regions where 

natural formations of tungsten minerals are prevalent. Tungsten was found in surface water and 

groundwater in Northern Iceland in areas that had natural formations of tungsten minerals. 

Concentrations of tungsten in these glacial and thermal waters (2–90 °C) were lower in surface water than 

in groundwater. Levels of tungsten were 0.03–11.5, 0.015–0.49, 0.005–0.09, 0.005–0.34, and 0.005– 

0.33 ppb (μg/L) for groundwaters in lowland areas, groundwaters in highland areas, lakes, rivers and 

streams, and peat soil waters, respectively (Arnórsson and Lindvall 2001). In Japan, the concentration of 

tungsten was 0.67 mg/L (0.00067 μg/L) in river water (location not specified) polluted with liquid wastes 

from a tungsten mine (Mamuro et al. 1971). 

Tungsten has been identified in groundwater at one site (i.e., Stringfellow, California) of the six NPL 

hazardous waste sites where it was detected in some environmental media (HazDat 2004). 

6.2.3 Soil 

Tungsten is naturally present in soils and sediments. Land application of sewage sludge and fertilizers 

containing higher than background concentrations of tungsten can be an anthropogenic source of tungsten 

emission to soil. Typical concentrations of tungsten in the lithosphere, parent rocks, and soil amendments 

such as fertilizers are listed in Table 6-1. 

Military installations and areas involved in military combat operations and training may have higher 

concentrations of tungsten as a result of the use of military hardware containing tungsten. For example, 

the concentration of tungsten in surface soils samples was measured in areas of atmospheric fallout of 

particulates from the use of explosives in the Gulf War (1990–1991). In areas nearest to the Saudi 

Arabian-Kuwait border where the heaviest fall-out occurred, the maximum concentration of tungsten in 

soil was 126.50 mg/kg (sampling depth of 0–5 cm). In areas 300 km from the border, the concentration 

of tungsten was 3.25 mg/kg (sampling depth of 0–5 cm) (Sadiq et al. 1992). 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 93 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Table 6-1. Range and Average Amounts of Tungsten in the Lithosphere, 

Some Parent Rocks, Some Soil-Added Materials, and 

Various Fertilizersa,b
 

Material Concentration (mg/kg) 

Lithosphere (0.1–2.4) 

Rock phosphates and phosphorites (30–270) 

Rock carbonates 0.6 

Limestones (0.2–0.8) 

Sewage sludges (1–100) 

Manure (8–2,800) 

Calcium cyanamide 0.5 

Phosphate fertilizers 100 

Ammonium sulfate (ND–0.03) 

Ammonium nitrate (ND–0.20) 

Calcium nitrate 0.23 

Urea (ND–0.11) 

Superphosphate 3.84 (1.47–7.04) 

Triple superphosphate 3.29 (1.59–4.99) 

Potassium sulfate (ND–0.75) 

NP compound 1.28 (ND–3.99) 

NPK compound 0.89 (0.02–2.03) 

a

Source: Senesi et al. (1988); detection limit = 0.002 mg/kg 

b

The values presented correspond also to the contribution, in g/ha, of tungsten from 1 mg of fertilizer applied 

to 1 ha of soil. 

ND = not detected; NP = nitrogen and phosphate; NPK = nitrogen, phosphate, and potash 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 94 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Tungsten has been identified in soil at one site (i.e., Anaconda Co. Smelter, Montana) of the six NPL 

hazardous waste sites where it was detected in some environmental media (HazDat 2004). 

6.3 ENVIRONMENTAL FATE 

6.3.1 Transport and Partitioning 

Tungsten and most tungsten compounds have low vapor pressures at 25 °C and are expected to exist in 

the particulate phase in air (HSDB 2004; Penrice 1997b). Some exceptions are tungsten carbonyl and 

tungsten hexafluoride. According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic 

compounds in the atmosphere, tungsten carbonyl, which has a vapor pressure of 0.1 mm Hg at 20 °C, is 

expected to exist in both vapor and particulate phases in the atmosphere (Bidleman 1988; O’Neil et al. 

2001). Tungsten hexafluoride is a gas at room temperature (Lide 2000). Vapor- and particulate-phase 

tungsten compounds may be removed from the air by wet and dry deposition. In Norway, between the 

years 1993 and 1995, the mean annual wet deposition flux of tungsten ranged from 2 to 10 μg/m2

 per year 

(n=13) (Berg and Steinnes 1997). Tungsten-containing soil can be re-suspended into the atmosphere by 

wind. 

In water, tungsten metal and metal alloys will exist as insoluble solids, while tungsten compounds will 

exist as ions or insoluble solids (Cotton and Wilkinson 1980). Tungsten compounds are expected to 

adsorb to suspended soils and sediment in the water column. Tungsten may be present in water as soluble 

tungstate ions, and also as species with inorganic colloids (Tanizaki et al. 1992). Soluble tungsten 

compounds (e.g., tungstates) may leach into groundwater. Volatilization from moist soil and water 

surfaces is not expected to be important for tungsten metal, alloys, and compounds due to their low vapor 

pressures (HSDB 2004; Penrice 1997b). 

Tungsten is carried to rivers, lakes, and oceans by land erosion. The estimated residence time of tungsten 

in ocean water, as the tungstate ion (WO4

2-), before it is removed from the aquatic phase by sedimentation 

or other removal processes, is approximately 1,000 years (Bowen 1966). 

Sorption coefficients for tungsten suggest that it is expected to have moderate to low mobility in soil 

under normal environmental conditions (Meijer et al. 1998). The sorption coefficient (Kd) for tungsten 

increases with decreasing pH. The sorption coefficients for the tungstate ion are 100–50,000 at about 
TUNGSTEN 95 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

pH 5; 10–6,000 at about pH 6.5; and 5–90 at pH 8–9 (Meijer et al. 1998). The sorption behavior of 

tungsten is due to changes in the surface charge of the soil as the contact solution becomes more acidic or 

alkaline. Tungsten combines with a large number of organic ligands (Lassner et al. 1996). However, no 

information on stability of tungsten organic matter complexes was located in the literature. Also, no 

information on the sorption of tungsten in saline environments was located in the literature. 

The concentration of tungsten in plants is low (Bowen 1960). Beans were found to incorporate tungsten 

when grown in soil amended with 1, 5, and 10% by weight tungsten metal or tungsten trioxide powder. 

The uptake was higher for tungsten metal than its oxide (1,100 mg/kg for metal versus 820 mg/kg for 

oxide at 10% weight percent) and increased with soil concentration in an apparently asymptotic manner. 

Rye grass was also found to take up tungsten from soil into the plant stem (U.S. Army 2000). 

No information on the bioavailability of tungsten to animals was available in the literature. Soluble forms 

of tungsten, such as tungstate ions, will be more bioavailable to fish and animals than insoluble forms. 

No evidence of the bioaccumulation of tungsten in the food chain of humans was located in the literature. 

6.3.2 Transformation and Degradation 

Degradation of an element, such as tungsten, is a nuclear process, by definition. Stable elements, such as 

tungsten, typically undergo such processes only at insignificant rates in the environment. As an element, 

tungsten cannot degrade chemically. It can change, however, from one chemical form to another, 

sometimes reversibly, in numerous chemical reactions that can proceed under a wide range of common 

environmental conditions. 

6.3.2.1 Air 

Insoluble particulate-phase tungsten metal, alloys, and compounds are not expected to react in air. 

Soluble particulate-phase compounds, such as ammonium paratungstate and tungsten hexachloride, may 

react with moisture in air to form tungstate ions (e.g., WO4

2-). There is no evidence in the literature for 

interaction of soluble or insoluble particulate-phase tungsten with CO2 (gas) or other compounds in the 

atmosphere. No information was found in the literature on photooxidation or photolysis of tungsten 

compounds in the atmosphere. 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 96 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

6.3.2.2 Water 

The reaction of tungsten in water is controlled by chemical speciation by which one species is converted 

to another. Tungsten exists in several oxidation states, 0, 2+, 3+, 4+, 5+, and 6+ (Bingham et al. 2001). 

The most stable is 6+ with the lower states being relatively unstable. Tungsten can exist as ions in water 

with one or more elements such as oxygen. In natural waters, tungsten is primarily in the form of the 

soluble tungstate ion (i.e., WO4

2-) under alkaline conditions or other tungsten polyanions under acidic 

conditions (Bowen 1966; Lassner et al. 1996; Tanizaki et al. 1992). Dissolution of tungsten metal in 

aqueous solution likely occurs through a stepwise anodic oxidation of the metal to the W+6 oxidation state 

through the intermediate formation of the W+3, W+4, and W+5 oxidation states, as shown in the reaction 

scheme below (Dermatas et al. 2004; Lassner and Schubert 1999). 

W + 2OH– → WO+

 + 3e– 

WO+ – + 2OH– → WO2 + e + H2O 

WO2 + OH– → WO3H + e– 

WO3H + OH– → WO3 + e– + H2O 

WO3 + OH– → HWO4

– 

HWO4

– → WO4–2 + H2O 

The accompanying cathodic reaction involves the reduction of dissolved molecular oxygen: 

O2 + 2H2O + 4e– → 4OH– 

The dissolution of tungsten metal typically results in the decrease of the pH of the local media (Dermatas 

et al. 2004). The extent and rate of tungsten dissolution changes when alloyed with other metals. Iron 

has been shown to enhance the dissolution of tungsten, but cobalt reduces the rate and extent of tungsten 

dissolution (Dermatas et al. 2004). 

Tungsten has a strong tendency to form complexes; this is exemplified by the large series of heteropoly 

acids formed with oxides of phosphorous (e.g., phosphotungstic acid), arsenic, vanadium, silicon, and 

others (Bigham et al. 2001). Tungsten combines with a large number of organic ligands (Lassner et al. 

1996). However, no information on natural tungsten organic matter complexes was located in the 

literature. 
TUNGSTEN 97 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

In surface water, elevated tungsten levels may inhibit ammonification and nitrification of organic 

compounds and growth of saprophytic microflors (Nadeenko 1966). Experimental analysis using three 

different tungsten compounds (sodium tungstate, sodium phosphotungstate, or tungstic acid) revealed 

marked reduction in oxygen consumption at a tungsten concentration of 1 μg/L, a marginal reduction (10– 

20%) at 0.1 μg/L, and no significant effect at 0.01 μg/L. 

6.3.2.3 Sediment and Soil 

Typical transformation processes for tungsten in soil include precipitation, complexation, and anion 

exchange. Important factors affecting the transformation of tungsten in soils and sediments include pH, 

ionic strength (i.e., salinity), redox potential, concentration and distribution of species, composition of the 

mineral matrix, organic matter, and temperature. It is likely that dissolution of tungsten in soil will occur 

through a similar reaction process to those described for tungsten in water, resulting in a similar decrease 

of soil pH. Dermatas et al. (2004) have demonstrated that this lowering of soil pH can result in the death 

of soil organisms. Tungsten binds with soils with the extent of tungsten uptake into soils appearing to 

follow the order: Pahokee peat > montmorillonite >> illite > sand (Dermatas et al. 2004). High uptake of 

tungsten in high organic soils, such as Pahokee peat, is thought to occur through the formation of tungsten 

complexes with humic substances in these soils. Binding of tungsten to some soils (e.g., montmorillonite 

and illite) occurs through cooperative adsorption, likely through the polymerization of tungstates to form 

isopolytungstates (Dermatas et al. 2004). The uptake of tungsten into montmorillonite and illite soils is 

usually accompanied by an increase in the pH of the local media. These binding processes have the effect 

of limiting the mobility of tungsten in soils. Leachability and mobility tests were conducted on bullets 

made of tungsten or tungsten-tin powder that were pressed and crushed to simulate degradation when 

fired into several media (sand, soil, and mixtures containing gravel, steel plates, and concrete). The 

powders were mixed with soil (sand or topsoil), exposed to a leachant (deionized water, acid rain, or salt 

water), and leached by up-flow and hold methods. Little or no tungsten leached from the topsoil, but 

tungsten did penetrate the sand column and filter, indicating that small-sized particles of tungsten can be 

mobile in sandy soil (U.S. Army 2000). No other biotransformation studies of tungsten or its compounds 

were located in the literature. 

6.3.2.4 Other Media 

No data on the transformation of tungsten in other media were located in available literature. 
TUNGSTEN 98 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

6.4 LEVELS MONITORED OR ESTIMATED IN THE ENVIRONMENT 

Reliable evaluation of the potential for human exposure to tungsten depends in part on the reliability of 

supporting analytical data from environmental samples and biological specimens. Concentrations of 

tungsten in unpolluted atmospheres and in pristine surface waters are often so low as to be near the limits 

of current analytical methods. In reviewing data on tungsten levels monitored or estimated in the 

environment, it should also be noted that the amount of chemical identified analytically is not necessarily 

equivalent to the amount that is bioavailable. The analytical methods available for monitoring tungsten in 

a variety of environmental media are detailed in Chapter 7. 

6.4.1 Air 

Ambient concentrations of tungsten in air have been measured at levels <10 ng/m3 (Dames et al. 1970; 

Haddad and Zikobsky 1985; Jagielak and Mamont-Cieśla 1979). Between 1972 and 1976, mean values 

of tungsten determined for atmospheric air in Siersza (a small industrial town) and the Warsaw district of 

Zerań, Poland were 5.8 and 4.5 ng/m3

, respectively, while concentrations in dust were 44 and 19 ppm, 

respectively, for the same locations (Jagielak and Mamont-Cieśla 1979). The ambient average air 

concentration of tungsten in the urban air of Montréal, Quebec, Canada was 5.2 ng/m3 (Haddad and 

Zikobsky 1985). Dames et al. (1970) measured the concentration of tungsten in urban air at East 

Chicago, Indiana, an industrial area of northwest Indiana, and Niles, Michigan, which is about 50 miles to 

the northeast of this industrial area. The concentration of tungsten in suspended particulates from East 

Chicago, Indiana was 5.8 ng/m3

 while the concentration in samples taken from Niles, Michigan was 

0.4 ng/m3

. 

Tungsten has been detected at sub-nanogram concentrations at remote locations around the world, 

possibly the result of natural processes such as entrainment of dust particles and resuspension of soil by 

wind. The average concentrations of tungsten in particles collected from the Arctic haze of the free 

troposphere, in the stratosphere, and in the marine boundary over various Arctic regions were as follows 

(Sheridan and Zoller 1989): North American Arctic, 0.14±0.09 ng/m3

 (n=10); Norwegian Arctic, 

0.073±0.031 ng/m3

 (n=9); stratosphere filters, 0.033±0.011 ng/m3 (n=10); and marine boundary layer 

filters, 0.095±0.021 ng/m3

 (n=7). The arithmetic mean atmospheric concentration of tungsten at the 
 

TUNGSTEN 99 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

geographic South Pole was 0.0015±0.0008 ng/m3 during the Austral summer of 1974–1975 (Maenhaut et 

al. 1979). 

Tungsten levels in indoor air have been determined as part of a 1998 study of metal exposures for 

residents of a retirement home in Towson, Maryland (Graney et al. 2004). The study participants had a 

mean age of 84, were all non-smokers, and did not typically cook their own meals. Median tungsten 

concentrations of 0.010 and 0.007 ng/m3

 in air were reported in particulate matter (PM2.5) samples 

collected from indoor air and personal exposure samplers, respectively. 

6.4.2 Water 

Limited data have been reported on the concentrations of tungsten in surface water and groundwater from 

the United States. Taylor et al. (1990) reported semi-quantitative concentrations of tungsten in river 

waters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries at concentrations ≤0.2 μg/L (i.e., semi-quantitative 

detection limit of 0.2 μg/L) with 4 of 15 samples showing positive analytical results for tungsten. These 

results indicate that tungsten may be present in ambient surface waters. However, semi-quantitative 

results should be interpreted with caution since they may not reflect actual concentration levels. In 1992, 

water samples were analyzed for three river systems (Truckee, Walker, and Carson, Nevada), which are 

in regions of natural tungsten mineral formations (Johannesson et al. 2000). The purpose of the study was 

to assess the interrelationships among metal and other ionic concentrations as the three rivers lost water 

through evaporation. In the Truckee river system, tungsten varied from a low value of 1.73 nmol/kg 

(0.319 μg/L) to a high value of 391 nmol/kg (72.1 μg/L). In the Walker and Carson systems, tungsten 

varied from 0.82 to 22.1 nmol/kg (0.15–4.07 μg/L), and from 8.21 to 1,029 nmol/kg (1.51–189.7 μg/L), 

respectively. The high concentration of tungsten in these rivers reflects the relative stability of the 

tungstate ion (WO4

2-) in the alkaline and well-oxygenated waters; contributions from hydrothermal 

waters; and weathering of rocks/regoliths with high concentrations of tungsten. Samples from these 

rivers may potentially be potable drinking water sources. 

Limited monitoring data were located for urban environments in the United States. However, in the City 

of Fallon in Churchill County, Nevada, several studies have been conducted. In 2002, a mean 

concentration of 19.9 μg/L was determined for tungsten in tap water sampled from 76 private and 

municipal residential water supplies (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2003). Upon 

further analysis of the concentration data, it was found that tungsten levels were highest in water taken 

from private residential wells with values ranging from 0.25 to 337 μg/L and a mean value of 37.5 μg/L. 
TUNGSTEN 100 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

In comparison, the tungsten concentrations were found to be lower in tap water sampled from residences 

using municipal water supplies, with values ranging from 0.25 to 27.2 μg/L and a mean value of 

19.1 μg/L. In a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of household 

water supplies in the Churchill County community the concentrations of tungsten were found to range 

from 0 to 217.3 μg/L (CDC 2003b). However, in a follow-up study of three nearby communities, 

Yerington, Lovelock and Pahrump, tungsten concentrations in tap water were found to be lower, with 

values ranging from 0.01 to 40 μg/L, 0.02–2.0 μg/L, and 0.01–1.0 μg/L and mean (geometric) values of 

3.32, 0.11 and 0.04 μg/L, respectively (CDC 2003c). No further data were located on the concentrations 

of tungsten in drinking water from the United States. However, according to EPA sampling and 

analytical methods, tungsten is not a substance that is typically measured in drinking water. 

For non-U.S. locations, tungsten has been detected in surface water from urban areas. The levels of 

tungsten were measured in river water from the Tamagawa and Sagamigawa Rivers located near Tokyo, 

Japan (Tanizaki et al. 1992a). The range of tungsten concentrations in the dissolved and suspended 

fractions of these samples were as follows: dissolved fraction (particulates <0.45 μm), 0.0265– 

0.107 μg/L; dissolved fraction (molecular weight <500), 0.0105–0.0341 μg/L; dissolved fraction 

(molecular weight=500–104

), 0.0141–0.0701 μg/L; dissolved fraction (molecular weight >104), 0– 

8.7 ng/L; and suspended solids (particulates >0.45 μm), 0–0.104 μg/L. In river water from the Asakawa, 

Nogawa, and Hisasegawa Rivers and effluent from a sewage treatment plant (all located near Tokyo, 

Japan), the levels of tungsten were determined to range as follows: dissolved fraction (particulates 

<0.45 μm), 0.014–0.785 μg/L ; dissolved fraction (molecular weight <500), 0.0206–0.247 μg/L; dissolved 

fraction (molecular weight=500–104

), 0.0270–0.537 μg/L; dissolved fraction (molecular weight >104), 0– 

0.0023 μg/L; and suspended solids (particulates >0.45 μm), 0.002–0.060 μg/L (Tanizaki et al. 1992b). 

Tungsten was measured in highly solute-rich river systems in a heavily industrialized region of India. 

Mean concentrations of tungsten in the Mahanadi, Brahmani, and Baitarani Rivers were 0.05 μg/L (range, 

0.02–0.9 μg/L), 0.15 μg/L (range, 0.04–0.89 μg/L), and 0.08 μg/L (range, 0.04–0.18 μg/L), respectively 

(Konhauser et al. 1997). 

Locations with natural formations of tungsten have elevated levels of tungsten in surface water and 

groundwater. The Nahanni River, a spring-fed river system in an area of scheelite/wolframite baring 

minerals located in Northwest Territories of Canada, was found to contain tungsten at concentrations 

ranging from <0.1 to 224.5 μg/L (Hall et al. 1988). Tungsten was found in surface water and 

groundwater in Northern Iceland in areas that had natural formations of tungsten minerals. 

Concentrations of tungsten in these glacial and thermal waters (2–90 °C) were lower in surface water than 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 101 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

in groundwater. Levels of tungsten were 0.03–11.5, 0.015–0.49, 0.005–0.09, 0.005–0.34, and 0.005– 

0.33 ppb (μg/L) for groundwater in lowland areas, groundwater in highland areas, lakes, rivers and 

streams, and peat soil waters, respectively (Arnórsson and Lindvall 2001). Tungsten that is found in the 

surface water and groundwater of the Ethiopian Rift Valley is associated with thermal activity in the 

region. Tungsten concentrations ranged from <0.002 to 3.81 μg/L in water samples taken from deep 

(>60 meters depth) and shallow (<60 meters depth) wells, hot springs, and rivers, with a median value of 

0.011 μg/L (Reimann et al. 2003). The concentrations were lowest in water samples taken from rivers 

and shallow wells and highest in samples obtained from hot springs and deep wells. In a separate study 

of the rivers and soda lakes within the Rift Valley, tungsten concentrations ranged from <0.1 to 

545.9 μg/L with the highest concentrations found in Lakes Abijata and Mechaferra (Zinabu and Pearce 

2003). The high levels of tungsten and other heavy metals (e.g., As, Hg, Mo, Rb, Ti) in these lakes were 

attributed to a high degree of wildlife habitation in these lakes. 

The concentration of tungsten in seawater is typically about 0.1 μg/L (Bowen 1966). 

Tungsten has been detected at low concentrations in rainwater near locations with tungsten emissions. 

Rainwater analysis performed in the United Kingdom illustrated that ambient tungsten concentrations in 

rainwater typically are <1 μg/L (Hartung 1991). Kist (1994) determined the levels of tungsten in 

rainwater sampled 8 km from a hard-metal factory in Russia. The concentrations of tungsten in the solid 

and soluble phases of rainwater were 0.00014 and 0.00076 μg/L, respectively. The authors suggest that 

the enrichment of tungsten in the liquid phase may be explained for this area by a high concentration of 

tungsten as liquid aerosols and vapor-phase compounds rather than particulates. 

6.4.3 Sediment and Soil 

Tungsten is the 18th most abundant metal, having an estimated concentration in the earth’s surface rocks 

of 1–1.3 mg/kg (Penrice 1997a). Tungsten concentrations in soils and surface soils are 0.5–83 and 0.68– 

2.7 mg/kg dry weight, respectively (Senesi et al. 1988). Agricultural soils from New Zealand had mean 

concentrations of tungsten ranging from 1.9 to 21.4 mg/kg (n=2), while mineralized areas had tungsten 

concentrations ranging from 65 to 125 mg/kg (n=3) (Quin and Brooks 1972a, 1972b). Fu and Tabatabai 

(1988) measured a mean concentration of 0.89 mg/kg (range, 0–2 mg/kg) for agricultural soils from Iowa 

(Fu and Tabatabai 1988). 
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6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

6.4.4 Other Environmental Media 

Tungsten was detected in ambient air and gas wells within three municipal waste disposal sites near 

Vancouver, British Columbia (Feldman and Cullen 1997). The concentration of tungsten compounds in 

the landfill gas collected from gas wells ranged between 5 and 10 ng W/m3

. Concentrations of tungsten 

compounds in the ambient air over the landfills were under 1 ng W/m3

. Based on mass spectrometric 

analysis of the gas components, the tungsten measured in the landfill gas and ambient air samples was in 

the form of hexacarbonyl tungsten (W[CO]6). 

At Cayuga Lake, New York, tungsten was not detected in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) ranging in 

age from 1 to 12 years at a detection limit of 0.2 ppb fresh weight (Tong et al. 1974). Sea animals have 

been reported to contain tungsten in dry tissues at concentrations ranging from 5x10-4 to 5x10-2 mg/kg 

(Bowen 1966). 

No monitoring data were located for food in the United States. Onions collected from 11 Danish sites 

uncontaminated by human activities other than routine agricultural practices contained tungsten at a mean 

level of 16.7 μg/kg fresh weight (n=64; range, 6.3–39 μg/kg) (Bibak et al. 1998). Blueberries and 

lingonberries collected from 35 urban and mining area sites in Northern Sweden from September to 

October 1998 contained tungsten at concentrations of 0.23–3.7 ng/g and 0.22–7.2 ng/g, respectively 

(Rodushkin et al. 1999). Perez-Jordan et al. (1998) semi-quantitatively determined the concentrations of 

tungsten in Spanish wines as follows: red-Valencia, 0.25±0.06 ng/mL; red-Utiel-Req, 0.09±0.03 ng/mL; 

red-Rioja, 0.55±0.05 ng/mL; white-Valencia, 0.25±0.01 ng/mL; white-Utiel-Req, 0.11±0.01 ng/mL; and 

white-Rioja, 0.6±0.4 ng/mL. 

The concentration of tungsten in land plants ranges from 0.0005 to 0.150 mg/kg dry weight (Bowen 

1960). Mean concentrations of tungsten in plants were reported as follows: source unknown from New 

Zealand, 0.27–39.5 mg/kg; tree leaves from New Zealand, 2.2–3.5 mg/kg; and agricultural plants from 

Iowa, 0.18 mg/kg (Fu and Tabatabai 1988; Quin and Brooks 1972a, 1972b). Quin and Brooks (1972b) 

determined the tungsten content of some native trees and ferns growing in an area of tungsten 

mineralization in Westland, New Zealand. The highest value reported was 1,500 mg/kg of ash weight in 

the leaves of black hard fern (Blechnum nigrum). The concentration of tungsten in tree ferns showed a 

significant correlation with the concentration in the soil; the tungsten content of trees did not. The mean 

concentration of tungsten in tree bark (oak) sampled from the western part of the Czech Republic was 

0.775±0.569 mg/kg (n=389; range, 0.129–4.79 mg/kg) (Böhm et al. 1998). Freitas et al. (1988) measured 
 

 

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6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

the concentration of heavy metals in aquatic macrophytes from the Fractal Dam (Tejo River, Portugal) in 

March 1987. Tungsten was found in whorled-water milfoil (Myriophyllum verticilatum), water buttercup 

(Ranunculus sp.), and pondweed (Potamogetam sp.) at average levels of 3.1±0.4, 5.6±0.2, and 

2.5±0.1 ppm, respectively. Lichen (Hypogymnia physodes L.) sampled in Slovenia in 1992 was found to 

contain tungsten at a mean concentration of 0.17±0.13 μg/g dry weight (n=82, range, 0.04–0.80 μg/g dry 

weight) (Jeran et al. 1996). Two species of moss (i.e., Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi) 

collected around Norway between the years 1993 and 1995 were found to contain tungsten at 

concentrations of 0.027–0.15 μg/g (n=13) and 0.012–0.093 μg/g (n=13), respectively (Berg and Steinnes 

1997). In areas around Norway and Russian Kola Peninsula and Tver region, the concentrations of 

tungsten in moss (H. splendens), lichen (Usnea sp.), and pine needles (Pinus sylvestris L.) were 0.73, 

<0.2, and 0.34 ppm, respectively (Nazarov et al. 1995). 

Tungsten concentrations in the lithosphere, some parent rocks, some soil-added materials, and 

various fertilizers are illustrated in Table 6–1. Sewage sludge samples from 16 major U.S. cities and 

Iowa contained tungsten at mean concentrations of 19.4 mg/kg (n=16; range, 0.9–99.6 mg/kg) and 

4.3 mg/kg (range, 0.5–62 mg/kg), respectively (Furr et al. 1976; Senesi et al. 1988). The mean 

concentration of tungsten in sewage sludge samples from 23 U.S. cities was 14.4 ppm dry weight (n=30; 

range, 0.65–140 ppm dry weight) for samples collected in 1980 (Mumma et al. 1984). Municipal waste 

ash samples from Japan contained tungsten at median levels as follows: food scrap ash, 0.9 mg/kg (range, 

0.24–1.25 mg/kg); animal waste ash, 0.8 mg/kg (range, 0.20–1.56 mg/kg); horticulture waste ash, 

1.6 mg/kg (range, 0.86–3.99 mg/kg); sewage sludge ash, 11.8 (range, 5.13–21.5 mg/kg); and incinerator 

bottom ash, 4.4 mg/kg (range, 2.46–11.4 mg/kg) (Zhang et al. 2002). 

Some types of coal may contain tungsten at significant levels. In the United States, tungsten was found in 

Pocahontas coal at concentrations of 0.5 and 49 ppm dry weight in the organic and sulfide fractions, 

respectively (Pires et al. 1997). However, it was not detected in any fraction of Davis, Colchester, Herrin, 

or Pittsburgh coals. 

Tungsten content has been measured in slags collected from smelters located on abandoned copper and 

silver mines. Tungsten concentrations were found to range from 0.4 to 2.6 mg/kg in slags taken from the 

Ely and Elizabeth mines in Vermont and the mining district of Ducktown, Tennessee (Piatak et al. 2004). 

In one measurement for a slag from the Clayton silver mine in the Bayhorse mining district of Idaho, a 

tungsten concentration of 175 mg/kg was obtained. In the same study, it was found that tungsten was not 

readily leached from these slags when extracted with deionized water or an acidified extractant that 
TUNGSTEN 104 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

simulated precipitation in the eastern United States. This is demonstrated in the finding that the 

concentration of tungsten in the extractants was at or near the limit of detection of the assay (<0.3– 

0.6 μg/L) for all of the slags tested. 

6.5 GENERAL POPULATION AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE 

Although data are limited, the general population may be exposed to trace amounts of tungsten by 

inhalation of air. Bowen (1966) reported a provisional dietary intake of 49 μg/day for tungsten for a 

70-kg man with a diet of 750 g dry weight per day. Since no drinking water data are available for 

tungsten, an estimated daily intake from drinking water could not be estimated. However, based on 

limited surface water data for tungsten, the estimated daily intake from drinking water is predicted to be 

negligible. No information on the concentrations of tungsten in food was located in the available 

literature. 

A National Occupational Exposure Survey conducted by NIOSH during 1981–1983 estimated the number 

of individuals who were potentially exposed to tungsten and its compounds in the workplace (NIOSH 

1983). The total number of individuals occupationally exposed to tungsten was 47,052 (i.e., the sum of 

three hazard classifications). The number of individuals occupationally exposed to tungsten compounds 

was as follows (number in parenthesis): sodium tungstate, dihydrate (2,254); sodium tungstate, 

anhydrous (15,470); sodium phosphotungstate (73); and tungsten carbide (3,395). 

Most exposures to tungsten and its compounds in occupational environments occur during production of 

tungsten metal from the ore, and preparation of tungsten carbide powders. Exposures to cemented 

tungsten carbide occur in manufacturing and grinding cemented tungsten carbide hard-metal parts. Dusts 

and mists of tungsten and its compounds or cemented tungsten carbide are produced during crushing, 

mixing, ball milling, loading and unloading, sintering, cutting, sandblasting, and grinding operations. 

Because of the high melting points of tungsten compounds, exposures to their vapors are negligible 

(NIOSH 1977). Table 6-2 lists occupations with potential exposure to tungsten and its compounds. 

Tungsten exposure levels for individuals working in the hard-metal industry are illustrated in Table 6-3. 

In the United States, the breathing zone air concentration of tungsten ranged from 0.2 to 12.8 mg/m3

 for 

workers involved in the wet grinding of sintered pieces without ventilation (NIOSH 1977). Schwartz et 

al. (1998) reported that tungsten was found in lung tissues of five individuals occupationally exposed 

involved in the sandblasting of hard metal tools. The effects of tungsten particulate aerosols on 
 

 

 

 

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6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Table 6-2. Occupations with Potential Tungsten Exposure 

Alloy makers Melting, pouring, casting workers 

Carbonyl workers Metal sprayers 

Ceramic workers Ore-refining and foundry workers 

Cemented tungsten carbide workers Paint and pigment makers 

Cement makers Papermakers 

Dyemakers Penpoint makers 

Dyers Petroleum refinery workers 

Flameproofers Photographic developers 

High-speed tool steelworkers Spark-plug makers 

Incandescent-lamp makers Textile dryers 

Industrial chemical synthesizers Tool grinders 

Inkmakers Tungsten and molybdenum miners 

Lamp-filament makers Waterproofing makers 

Lubricant makers Welders 

Source: NIOSH 1977 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Table 6-3. Worker Exposure to Tungsten in the Hard-Metal Industry 

Type of operation Total dust (mg/m3) Tungsten (mg/m3) Sample type Location 

Powder processing 

14.9 7.7 G Austria 

0.3–9.8 1.8–8.24 B Switzerland 

1.1–32 0.88–25.6 B Sweden 

3.1–130.3 2.2–3.5 G USSR 

Tool and operations: casting 

0.22–7.5 0.52–4.56 B Switzerland 

15 12 B Sweden 

0.7–3.0 0.6–2.6 G Sweden 

5.5–47.7 1.4–2.1 G USSR 

21.5 17.6 G	 Austria 

Tool and operations: forming 

0.5–24.6 0.97–26.7 B Switzerland 

0.1–7.5 0.08–5.9 B Sweden 

0.2–0.7 0.17–0.58 G Sweden 

– 3.3–32.5 G	 USSR 

11.1 8.8 B	 Austria 

Grinding of sintered pieces: wet grinding without exhaust 

–	 0.2–12.8 B United 

States 

Source: NIOSH (1977) and references within 

B = breathing zone; G = general air 
 

 

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6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

individuals occupationally exposed were studied in a hard metals plant (NIOSH 1977). Of the 178 hardmetal individuals occupationally exposed (52 men and 126 women), 81% were about 30 years old and 

about 84% of the individuals occupationally exposed had been engaged in hard-metal operations for 

3 years. The concentrations of tungsten in the work atmosphere during various operations varied from 

0.75 to 6.1 mg/m3

. The ranges of mean tungsten concentrations were 0.8–1.1 mg/L in the blood of 

45 individuals occupationally exposed and 0.6–1.1 mg/L in the urine of 40 individuals occupationally 

exposed, while tungsten was not detectable in the blood of 11 individuals occupationally exposed or in 

the urine of 7. Individuals occupationally exposed in this factory may have been exposed to both soluble 

and insoluble tungsten compounds. At a factory in Syracuse, New York, which manufactured hard metal 

parts from tungsten carbide and cobalt, 1 out of 83 cases of individuals occupationally exposed showed 

appreciable amounts of tungsten carbide concentrations in the lungs (Auchincloss et al. 1992). 

Occupational exposure to tungsten and its compounds have also been observed around the world, 

especially in hard metal industries. In Milan, Italy, individuals occupationally exposed with an average 

exposure period of 13 years at job functions such as grinding and cutting hard metal materials, had 

concentrations of tungsten in tissues as follows: lung, 107 ng/g; blood, 1.35 ng/g; and urine, 12 ng/g 

(Rizzato et al. 1986). A control group of 17 unexposed individuals in this study had concentrations of 

tungsten in lung tissue, blood, and urine of 1.5, 0.4, and 0.7 ng/g, respectively. In Germany, 

87 individuals occupationally exposed in the hard metal manufacturing industry were assessed for 

exposure to tungsten (Kraus et al. 2001). The median duration of exposure for these individuals 

occupationally exposed was approximately 13 years. Ambient monitoring yielded a range of tungsten 

concentrations from 3.3 to 417.0 μg/m3

 in the production of heavy alloys. The highest tungsten 

concentrations excreted in urine of individuals occupationally exposed were found in grinders (mean, 

94.4 μg/g creatinine; maximum, 169 μg/g creatinine). Thus, despite its low solubility, tungsten carbide 

was bioavailable. Bioavailability of tungsten and its compounds increases in the order of tungsten metal, 

tungsten carbide, and tungstate ion (Kraus et al. 2001). At two hard metal manufacturing facilities in 

Sweden, Sahle et al. (1996) reported total dust personal measurements of 1.2±0.7, 1.6±0.8, and 

0.8±0.6 mg/m3

 for ammonium paratungstate (APT), blue oxide (WO2.9), and tungsten trioxide (WO3), 

respectively. Airborne blue oxide fibers were detected in both static and personal samples when APT was 

calcined to blue oxide rather than tungsten trioxide. 

Occupational exposures have been observed in other industries such as welding shops, smelter/refineries, 

and shops using tools with cemented tungsten carbide. Brune et al. (1980) determined levels of tungsten 

in exposed and unexposed individuals from Northern Sweden. Individuals occupationally exposed at a 
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6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

smelter and refinery had levels of tungsten which ranged as follows (n=21): kidney, <0.003–0.018 μg/g 

wet weight; liver, <0.003–0.014 μg/g wet weight; and lung, <0.003–0.15 μg/g wet weight. The range of 

concentrations of tungsten in tissues from a control group were as follows (n=8): kidney, <0.003– 

0.005 μg/g wet weight; liver, <0.003–0.036 μg/g wet weight; and lung, and <0.003–0.011 μg/g wet 

weight. The concentration of tungsten in the workplace air from welding shops in Montréal, Quebec, 

Canada averaged 0.67 μg/m3 (n=13; range, <0.15–1.50 μg/m3

) while the average concentration of 

tungsten in urban air was 0.0052 μg/m3

 (Haddad and Zikovsky 1985). Lichtenstein et al. (1975) reported 

the airborne tungsten concentrations in operations involving wet-grinding of tool bits and inserts made of 

two commercial grades of cemented carbides. The air was sampled with filters in the workers’ breathing 

zones and the filters were analyzed for tungsten. The mean concentration of tungsten was 5.16 mg/m3 

(range, 0.2–12.8 mg/m3

). Of the 25 samples taken, 40% exceeded 5 mg/m3. 

Recent toxicological interest in tungsten is based on its increased use as a component of armor-piercing 

munitions and a replacement for lead in other ammunition. Embedded tungsten shrapnel represents a 

unique source of internal exposure to tungsten. 

Tungsten may be found in human tissues and body fluids. Serum concentrations of tungsten in healthy 

human subjects are approximately 1–6 μg/L (Bowen 1966; Hartung 1991). The mean tungsten 

concentrations in the serum of Swedish 15-year-old adolescents from Uppsala and Trollhättan were 

0.14±0.2 μg/L (n=355; range, <0.04–1.8 μg/L) for the period between 1993 and 1994 (Bránáy et al. 

2002a), while whole blood concentrations for this same population group were <0.2 μg/L (n=326; range, 

<0.2–0.94 μg/L). 

Tungsten occurs in human urine at low concentrations. As part of the National Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey (NHANES III) study from 1988 to 1994, 500 urine specimens were analyzed from a 

nationally representative sample of some 30,000 persons across the contiguous United States and Alaska 

(Paschal et al. 1998). The mean concentration of tungsten in urine from this study was 1.92 μg/L (n=496; 

limit of detection=0.3 ng/mL) for all ages and sexes, while the creatinine adjusted mean concentration 

was 1.92 μg/g creatinine. Between the years of 1999 and 2000, the geometric mean concentration of 

tungsten in urine for the U.S. population aged 6 years and older was 0.085 μg/L, while the creatinine 

adjusted mean concentration was 0.079 μg/L (CDC 2003a). Schramel et al. (1997) reported that the mean 

concentration of tungsten in urine for 14 unexposed individuals was 0.21±0.09 μg/L. 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 109 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Tungsten occurs in other body tissues at low concentrations. For example, the concentrations of tungsten 

in human teeth and mammalian heart tissue were 0.25 and 5 ppb dry weight, respectively (Bowen 1966). 

For adults, tungsten levels have been determined in human tissues and body fluids: 0.25 ppb in bone; 

16 ppb in hair; 2 ppb in heart tissue; <0.7 mg/L in plasma; <0.07 mg/L in serum; 26–160 ppb in skin; 

240 ppb in tooth enamel; 2,600 ppb in tooth dentine; and up to 32 μg in urine (Iyengar et al. 1978). 

Concentrations of tungsten in human teeth, tooth enamel, and tooth dentine vary over a range of 3– 

6 orders of magnitude. These studies, considered together, provide no basis for explanation of these 

divergent values. 

6.6 EXPOSURES OF CHILDREN 

This section focuses on exposures from conception to maturity at 18 years in humans. Differences from 

adults in susceptibility to hazardous substances are discussed in Section 3.7, Children’s Susceptibility. 

Children are not small adults. A child’s exposure may differ from an adult’s exposure in many ways. 

Children drink more fluids, eat more food, breathe more air per kilogram of body weight, and have a 

larger skin surface in proportion to their body volume. A child’s diet often differs from that of adults. 

The developing human’s source of nutrition changes with age: from placental nourishment to breast milk 

or formula to the diet of older children who eat more of certain types of foods than adults. A child’s 

behavior and lifestyle also influence exposure. Children crawl on the floor, put things in their mouths, 

sometimes eat inappropriate things (such as dirt or paint chips), and spend more time outdoors. Children 

also are closer to the ground, and they do not use the judgment of adults to avoid hazards (NRC 1993). 

Specific information on the exposure of children to tungsten is limited. As for adults in the general 

population, small exposures occur from normal ingestion of food and inhaling air. These exposures may 

be higher in areas near industrial facilities that manufacture, processes, recycle, or use tungsten and its 

compounds. 

At waste sites, tungsten that is found in excess of natural background levels is most likely to be in soil, 

and presents a special hazard for young children. Hand-to-mouth activity and eating contaminated dirt 

will result in oral exposure to tungsten. The hazard in this case depends on the form of tungsten present 

at the waste site. Tungsten in soil at waste sites is in both soluble and insoluble forms; tungsten in 

insoluble forms would be expected to be less available than more soluble forms. 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 110 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Tungsten exposure to children from parents’ work clothes, skin, hair, tools, or other objects from the 

workplace is possible if the parent uses tungsten or its compounds at work. However, no cases of home 

exposure have been reported for tungsten in the literature. 

Other home exposures are unlikely since no household products or products used in crafts, hobbies, or 

cottage industries contain significant amounts of tungsten. One exception is tungsten filaments, which are 

used in and around the home in light bulbs or other electrical devices. 

6.7 POPULATIONS WITH POTENTIALLY HIGH EXPOSURES 

Several populations are at high risk for exposure to tungsten and its compounds. Individuals with the 

highest risk include people who are occupationally exposed to tungsten and its compounds from 

manufacturing, fabricating, or reclaiming industries (see Section 6.5). In particular, occupational 

exposures have been reported in industries using hard metals, welding shops, smelters/refineries, and 

shops using tools with cemented tungsten carbide. Occupationally exposed workers who carry tungsten 

dust on their clothes from the workplace to their home may increase the risk of tungsten exposure to their 

family members. People living near tungsten-emitting industries may be at a slightly increased risk of 

tungsten exposure due to contact with tungsten-contaminated dust within the household, as opposed to 

ambient air levels. 

Populations living in areas with above-average levels of natural tungsten may be at higher risk to 

exposure. For example, tungsten was found in the municipal water supply of the City of Fallon in 

Churchill County, Nevada, at a mean concentration of 19.1 μg/L (ppb). In household water derived from 

private wells in this community a mean tungsten concentration of 37.5 μg/L was obtained (Agency for 

Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2003). This was the first finding of excess community-wide 

exposure to tungsten. At these mean concentrations, the intake of tungsten through drinking water would 

amount to 38.2 and 75.0 μg per day for residents using water obtained from municipal and private water 

supplies, respectively, assuming the consumption of 2 liters of water per day. The CDC reported that 

urine samples of leukemia cases and control subjects from residents in this community had elevated levels 

of tungsten (CDC 2003b). The mean (geometric) tungsten concentrations in this study was 1.17 μg/L 

compared with 0.09 μg/L in the U.S. population. However, no correlation was found in this study 

between incidents of leukemia and elevated levels of tungsten in urine. 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 111 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

In a follow-up CDC study of Churchill County and three surrounding communities, it was found that the 

tungsten concentrations in urine followed the concentrations of tungsten in drinking water. The mean 

(geometric) concentrations of tungsten in the urine of adults in the Churchill County, Yerington, Lovelock 

and Pahrump communities were determined to be 0.81, 1.04, 0.38 and 0.4 μg/L, respectively, as 

compared to tungsten concentrations in tap water of 4.66, 3.32, 0.11, and 0.04 μg/L, respectively (CDC 

2003c). In children, the mean (geometric) concentrations of tungsten in urine of 2.31, 1.18, 0.62, and 

0.56 μg/L were higher than in adults. In addition, the mean tungsten concentrations in urine collected 

from residents in the Churchill County and three surrounding communities were above the 95% percentile 

level for tungsten concentrations measured in the general U.S. population. 

Patients who have undergone percutaneous coil embolism, which is a medical procedure that is used to 

occlude unwanted vascular connections such as intracranial aneurysms, aorto-pulmonary, and venous 

collaterals and coronary artery fistulae, have been found with elevated levels of tungsten in blood and 

urine (Peuster et al. 2003a). These elevated levels of tungsten are due to the corrosion of tungsten coils 

that are implanted in blood vessels during the procedure. Tungsten concentrations of <0.7–7.2 and 1.98– 

837.7 μg/L in blood and urine, respectively, and <10–300 μg/g hair have been reported (Bachthaler et al. 

2004). Because of the degradation of the tungsten coils and the elevated tungsten levels found in these 

patients, coils made from tungsten are no longer used in the percutaneous coil embolism procedure. 

However, no adverse health effect has been associated with the elevated levels of tungsten within these 

patients. Military personnel wounded in combat may experience elevated tungsten levels from embedded 

tungsten-containing ammunition or shrapnel; the toxicological significance of such an exposure scenario 

has not been determined. 

6.8 ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE 

Section 104(i)(5) of CERCLA, as amended, directs the Administrator of ATSDR (in consultation with the 

Administrator of EPA and agencies and programs of the Public Health Service) to assess whether 

adequate information on the health effects of tungsten is available. Where adequate information is not 

available, ATSDR, in conjunction with the National Toxicology Program (NTP), is required to assure the 

initiation of a program of research designed to determine the health effects (and techniques for developing 

methods to determine such health effects) of tungsten. 

The following categories of possible data needs have been identified by a joint team of scientists from 

ATSDR, NTP, and EPA. They are defined as substance-specific informational needs that if met would 
 

 

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6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

reduce the uncertainties of human health assessment. This definition should not be interpreted to mean 

that all data needs discussed in this section must be filled. In the future, the identified data needs will be 

evaluated and prioritized, and a substance-specific research agenda will be proposed. 

6.8.1 Identification of Data Needs 

Physical and Chemical Properties. The relevant physical and chemical properties of tungsten and 

its compounds are available in the literature, but are limited for many tungsten compounds (Ashford 

1994; HSDB 2004; Lewis 1997; Lide 2000; O’Neil et al. 2001; Penrice 1997a, 1997b). Additional data 

on the physical and chemical properties of tungsten compounds would permit estimation of the 

environmental fate of tungsten and its compounds 

Production, Import/Export, Use, Release, and Disposal. According to the Emergency 

Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. Section 11023, industries are required 

to submit substance release and off-site transfer information to the EPA. The TRI, which contains this 

information for 2001, became available in May of 2004. This database is updated yearly and should 

provide a list of industrial production facilities and emissions. 

Data regarding the past and present production and import/export volumes for tungsten and its 

compounds are available (SRI 2003; USGS 2001, 2004a, 2004b). Information about the future 

production of tungsten and its compounds would be useful. The uses of tungsten and tungsten 

compounds are well known (ITIA 2001; Lassner and Schubert 1999; Lassner et al. 1996; O’Neil et al. 

2001; Penrice 1997a, 1997b; USGS 2002). Tungsten and its compounds are widely used in the home and 

workplace (O’Neil et al. 2001; Penrice 1997a, 1997b). Limited information on the concentrations of 

tungsten in food was located in the available literature (Bibak et al. 1998; Perez-Jordan et al. 1998; 

Rodushkin et al. 1999). Additional information would help to determine whether tungsten may be a 

contaminant in food. Typical releases of the substance in the home, environment, and workplace indicate 

that water (Arnórsson and Lindvall 2001; HazDat 2004) and air (Feldmann and Cullen 1997; Fernandez 

et al. 1992; HazDat 2004; Ondov et al. 1989) are likely to be contaminated with tungsten in areas where 

natural formations occur or where tungsten is used in industry. Most tungsten minerals, tungsten 

compounds, and tungsten-containing materials do not require special disposal and handling requirements 

(see Section 5.4). A significant portion of tungsten is routinely recycled (USGS 2002). Since tungsten 

and tungsten compounds are not covered under Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act 

(SARA), Title III, manufacturers and users are not required to report releases to the EPA’s TRI. 
TUNGSTEN 113 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Environmental Fate. Information about how tungsten and its compounds partition in the 

environment is available (Bidleman 1988; Dermatas et al. 2004; HSDB 2004; Lassner et al. 1996; Meijer 

et al. 1998; O’Neil et al. 2001; Penrice 1997b; Tanizaki et al. 1992), although it is limited in scope. 

Additional information about the partitioning of tungsten and its compounds would be useful for 

determining which environmental media tungsten and its compounds are likely to partition to. The 

mobility of tungsten has been briefly characterized in soil (Meijer et al. 1998). Additional and 

comprehensive information about the mobility of tungsten and its compounds would be useful in 

determining the potential of tungsten and its compounds to migrate into groundwater. Tungsten can 

change from one chemical form to another, sometimes reversibly, in numerous chemical reactions that 

can proceed under a wide range of common environmental conditions (Bigham et al. 2001; Bowen 1966; 

Dermatas et al. 2004; Lassner and Schubert 1999; Lassner et al. 1996; Tanizaki et al. 1992). However, 

data on the transformation of tungsten and its compounds are limited. Additional information would help 

to describe the chemical forms of tungsten and its compounds in different environmental media. 

Bioavailability from Environmental Media. The absorption and distribution of tungsten and 

tungsten compounds as a result of inhalation or dermal exposures, or oral dosing have been discussed. 

Limited information on the bioavailability (i.e., adsorption from contaminated air, water, or soil) of 

tungsten and its compounds is available. Updated and more comprehensive data on the bioavailability of 

tungsten and its compounds from environmental media are needed. 

Food Chain Bioaccumulation. Information on the bioconcentration of tungsten and its compounds 

in plants, aquatic organisms, or animals is not available. Bioconcentration data would be useful in 

determining the level of storage of tungsten in the organisms as a result of exposure to contaminated 

media. Information on whether tungsten and its compounds are biomagnified is not available. 

Biomagnification data would be helpful in determining whether increased levels of tungsten in predators 

result from consumption of contaminated prey organisms. 

Exposure Levels in Environmental Media. Reliable monitoring data for the levels of tungsten in 

contaminated media at hazardous waste sites are needed so that the information obtained on levels of 

tungsten in the environment can be used in combination with the known body burden of tungsten to 

assess the potential risk of adverse health effects in populations living in the vicinity of hazardous waste 

sites. 
TUNGSTEN 114 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Information about concentrations of tungsten and tungsten compounds in air (Dames et al. 1970; Haddad 

and Zikobsky 1985; Jagielak and Mamont-Cieśla 1979; Maenhaut et al. 1979; Sheridan and Zoller 1989), 

water (Arnórsson and Lindvall 2001; Bowen 1966; CDC 2003b, 2003c; Agency for Toxic Substances and 

Disease Registry 2003; Hall et al. 1988; Hartung 1991; Johannesson et al. 2000; Kist 1994; Konhauser et 

al. 1997; Tanizaki et al. 1992a, 1992b; Taylor et al. 1990), soil (Fu and Tabatabai 1988; Penrice 1997a; 

Quin and Brooks 1972a, 1972b; Senesi et al. 1988), and food (Bibak et al. 1998; Perez-Jordan et al. 1998; 

Rodushkin et al. 1999) are available, but limited. Updated and more comprehensive data on the 

concentration levels of tungsten in air, water, soil, and food would be useful to provide a more 

comprehensive characterization of human exposure. Additional data would also be useful in describing 

historical trends in tungsten concentrations in various environmental media. Reliable monitoring data for 

the levels of tungsten in contaminated media at hazardous waste sites are needed so that the information 

obtained on levels of tungsten in the environment can be used in combination with the known body 

burden of tungsten to assess the potential risk of adverse health effects in populations living in the vicinity 

of hazardous waste sites. Estimates have not been made for human intake of tungsten and its compounds 

from various environmental media. These data would help to determine the potential for human exposure 

to tungsten and its compounds. 

Exposure Levels in Humans. Tungsten has been detected in the following human tissues and 

fluids: blood, plasma, and serum (Bowen 1966; Bránáy et al. 2002a; Hartung 1991; Iyengar et al. 1978); 

urine (CDC 2003a; Iyengar et al. 1978; Paschal et al. 1998; Schramel et al. 1997); teeth (Bowen 1966; 

Iyengar et al. 1978); heart tissue (Bowen 1966); bone (Iyengar et al. 1978); and hair (Iyengar et al. 1978). 

Data are also included for tungsten levels in urine from individuals exposed to high (1.82–7.30 μg/L) 

concentrations of tungsten in drinking water (CDC 2003c). 

Although there are data from the CDC study of Churchill County (City of Fallon) and surrounding 

communities describing the levels of tungsten as in urine of residents exposed to high levels of tungsten 

in drinking water suggesting that there is no correlation between the high tungsten intake and a cluster of 

childhood acute lymphocytic and myelocytic leukemias in the Churchill County area (CDC 2003c), 

leukemias were the only health effect end point examined in the study. It would be useful to know if the 

tungsten intake measured in CDC study participants is correlated with other health effect end points and 

populations (e.g., elderly residents) both within this study and in other populations where high tungsten 

intake has been identified. This information would be useful in assessing the need to conduct health 

studies on those individuals living near hazardous waste sites or other sites associated with tungsten 

exposure. 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 115 

6. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 

Exposures of Children. Children may be exposed to tungsten and tungsten compounds in the same 

manner as adults in the general population (e.g., air, food, and water). Exposure and body burden studies 

on children would be useful. No information was available on unique exposure pathways for children 

(e.g., pica children, dermal exposure, and parental transport from the workplace). Studies may be needed 

to determine if unique exposure pathways exist for children, and if they do, to determine the significance 

they might have on child health. No childhood-specific means to decrease exposure were identified. 

Child health data needs relating to susceptibility are discussed in 3.12.2 Identification of Data Needs: 

Children’s Susceptibility. 

Exposure Registries. No exposure registries for tungsten were located. This substance is not 

currently one of the compounds for which a sub-registry has been established in the National Exposure 

Registry. The substance will be considered in the future when chemical selection is made for subregistries to be established. The information that is amassed in the National Exposure Registry facilitates 

the epidemiological research needed to assess adverse health outcomes that may be related to exposure to 

this substance. 

The population of Churchill County (City of Fallon), Nevada is known to have unusually high exposures 

to tungsten (CDC 2003b, 2003c; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 2003). However, no 

exposure registry has been established for this population. 

6.8.2 Ongoing Studies 

No ongoing studies investigating potential for human exposure of tungsten or its compounds were 

identified in the Federal Research in Progress database (FEDRIP 2004). 

TUNGSTEN 117 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the analytical methods that are available for detecting, 

measuring, and/or monitoring tungsten, its metabolites, and other biomarkers of exposure and effect to 

tungsten. The intent is not to provide an exhaustive list of analytical methods. Rather, the intention is to 

identify well-established methods that are used as the standard methods of analysis. Many of the 

analytical methods used for environmental samples are the methods approved by federal agencies and 

organizations such as EPA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Other 

methods presented in this chapter are those that are approved by groups such as the Association of 

Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and the American Public Health Association (APHA). 

Additionally, analytical methods are included that modify previously used methods to obtain lower 

detection limits and/or to improve accuracy and precision. 

7.1 BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS 

A variety of analytical methods can be used to determine trace concentrations (sub-ppb to ppb) of 

tungsten in biological tissues. These include inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy 

(ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and neutron activation analysis 

(NAA), as well as other techniques, such as atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and UV/Visible 

spectroscopy (UV/VIS). Table 7-1 lists analytical methods used for determining tungsten and tungsten 

compounds in biological fluids and tissues. 

ICP-AES and ICP-MS have been used to determine tungsten concentrations in biological samples 

(Bárány et al. 2002a, 2002b; Le Lamer-Déchamps et al. 2003; Marquet et al. 1997; Paschal et al. 1998; 

Schramel et al. 1997). Samples are typically wet ashed with nitric acid at elevated temperatures and then 

diluted for analysis. Tungsten is quantified by ICP-AES using the emission line at 207.91 nm and by 

ICP-MS using isotope masses of 182W and 186W. The instrument detection limits have been determined to 

be 50 μg/L and 0.02–0.3 μg/L for ICP-AES and ICP-MS, respectively. Huang et al. (2002) recently 

developed a method using chelation ion chromatography (CIC) coupled with on-line detected by ICP-MS. 

The advantage of this method is the ability to analyze trace amounts of tungsten (and other metals) in 

complex matrices such as biological samples. Using a bis-(2-aminoethylthio) methylate (BAETM) resin 

column, the limit of detection was reported to be <0.05 ng/mL for this method. 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 118 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

Table 7-1. Analytical Methods for Determining Tungsten in Biological Materials 

Sample matrix Preparation method 

Analytical 

method 

Sample 

detection 

limit 

Percent 

recovery Reference 

Human blood Not specified ICP-MS 0.2 μg/L No data Bárány et al. 

2002a, 

2002b 

Human serum Not specified ICP-MS 0.04 μg/L No data Bárány et al. 

2002a, 

2002b 

Human plasma Dilute ICP-MS 0.01 μg/L 97–102% Le LamarDéchamps et 

al. 2003 

Blood and urine Dilute (and acidify) ICP-AES 50 μg/L No data Marquet et 

al. 1997 

Human hair 

and nails 

Hydrolysis in nitric 

acid; dilute 

ICP-AES — No data Marquet et 

al. 1997 

Human blood 

and tissue 

Dry NAA 1 μg/mg No data Bowen 1960 

Human tissues 

(e.g., kidney, 

liver, lung) 

Deep freeze (or 

freeze dry); grind to 

powder 

NAA No data No data Brune et al. 

1980 

Human urine Dilute (and acidify) ICP-MS 0.3 ng/mL No data Paschal et 

al. 1998 

Human urine Dilute (and acidify) ICP-MS 0.02 μg/L 116.5% Schramel et 

al. 1997 

Animal tissues 

(e.g., liver, 

kidney, lung, 

spleen, brain, 

etc.) 

Wet digestion using 

HNO3/HClO4; 

evaporate to dryness; 

dissolve in ionic buffer 

(LiNO3/HNO3) 

DCP-AES ~0.037 μg/L No data Frank and 

Petersson 

1983 

Rat and dog 

plasma 

None ICP-AES 100 ng/mL 89–105% Poucheret et 

al. 2000 

AES = atomic emission spectroscopy; DCP = DC plasma; HClO4 = perchloric acid; HNO3 = nitric acid; 

ICP = inductively coupled plasma; LiNO3= lithium nitrate; MS = mass spectrometry; NAA = neutron activation 

analysis 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 119 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

NAA techniques provide low detection limits for tungsten (0.005 μg tungsten per gram of sample), but 

there are few reactors at which NAA facilities and expertise are available (Dams et al. 1970). A common 

NAA procedure for tungsten determination is to produce the short-lived 187W radionuclide (half-life of 

24 hours; gamma-lines of 479.3 and 685.7 keV). Counting can be initiated after an irradiation period of 

2–5 hours and a cooling period of 20–30 hours (Dams et al. 1970). Biological samples that have been 

analyzed for tungsten using the NAA technique include human blood and tissues (e.g., kidney, liver, and 

lung) (Bowen 1960; Brune et al. 1980). Because facilities at which NAA can be performed are extremely 

limited, NAA's most useful application is as a reference method against which other less expensive and 

more common methods can be compared for accuracy. 

7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES 

Many of the basic analytical methods used for determining tungsten in biological media are also used for 

determining tungsten levels in environmental samples (e.g., soil, water, and air). ICP-AES, ICP-MS, 

Flame AAS, UV/VIS spectrophotometry, and NAA are the most common techniques utilized for analysis 

of tungsten in environmental samples. Table 7-2 lists the methods used for determining tungsten in 

environmental samples. 

The NIOSH-recommended technique (Method 7074) for determining tungsten in air uses Flame AAS. 

Detection limits for tungsten are 50 μg of soluble tungsten per sample and 125 μg of insoluble tungsten 

per sample using an absorption line at 255.1 nm (NIOSH 1994). 

Inductively coupled plasma techniques have been used to measure tungsten concentrations in water 

samples. Samples are typically filtered and acidified before analysis. Johannesson et al. (2000) used 

ICP-MS to measure the levels of total tungsten in river water samples. Detection limits for tungsten were 

0.8 nmol/kg (0.15 μg/kg). For spring water, Hall et al. (1988) reported detection limits of 0.06 and 

1.2 μg/L for ICP-MS and ICP-AES, respectively. In order analyze waters with high concentrations of 

dissolved solids (e.g., seawater), Huang et al. (2002) employed CIC coupled with ICP-MS and achieved 

detection limits of <0.05 ng/mL. 

UV/VIS spectroscopy has been used to measure tungsten in environmental samples. Parker and Boltz 

(1968) used UV/VIS spectroscopy at 262 nm to determine total tungsten levels in water samples as a 

peroxytungstic acid complex. Quin and Brooks (1972a) measured the concentration of tungsten utilizing 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 120 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

Table 7-2. Analytical Methods for Determining Tungsten in 

Environmental Samples 

Sample Analytical Sample Percent 

matrix Preparation method method detection limit recovery Reference 

Air Digest with HNO3/HF; Flame 50 μg soluble W No data NIOSH 1994 

evaporate to dryness; AAS per sample; (Method 7074) 

add NaOH/NaSO4; 125 μg insoluble 

dilute W per sample 

Workspace Filter air; leach soluble Flame 10 μg soluble 90.8– Hull and 

air W using DI water; AAS W/L; 8 mg 103% Haartz 1980 

dissolve residual W insoluble W per soluble; 

HNO3/HF after HCl sample 90.8– 

extraction 105% 

insoluble 

Workspace/ Filter air for NAA 0.20±0.09 μg/m3 No data Haddad and 

urban air particulates Zikovsky 1985 

Water Dilute tungstate UV/VIS of No data No data Parker and 

solution; add H2SO4 peroxy- Boltz 1968 

and HOOH; dilute tungstic 

acid at 

262 nm 

Water Add sodium acetate Flame 0.1 mg/L No data Korrey and 

buffer; add benzoin AAS Goulden 1975 

anti-oxime then extract 

with MIBK; add 1­

ephedrine 

Water 

(WO4 

2-) 

Add HCl, 

chloropromazine HCl, 

Spectrophotometr ~2 μg/L No data Tomiyasu and 

Yonehara 

and (NH4)2Fe(SO4)2; y (λ=525 1996 

mix; add HOOH to nm) 

initiate reaction 

River water Filter; acidify with ICP-MS No data No data Konhauser et 

HNO3 al. 1997 

River water ICP-MS 0.8 nmol/kg No data Johannesson 

Filter; acidify with (0.15 μg/kg) et al. 2000 

HNO3 

River water Filter; acidify with NAA No data No data Tanizaki et al. 

HNO3 1992a, 1992b 

Spring Acidify with HCl; add ICP-AES 1.2 μg/L No data Hall et al. 1988 

water oxime dissolved in 

EtOH and activated ICP-MS 0.06 μg/L 

charcoal; filter; ash; 

dissolve in HCl; dilute 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 121 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

Table 7-2. Analytical Methods for Determining Tungsten in 

Environmental Samples 

Sample Analytical Sample Percent 

matrix Preparation method method detection limit recovery Reference 

Polluted Microwave digestion ICP-AES 30 mg/L No data Ferri et al. 

waters using HF/HCl/HNO3; 1999 

column 

chromatography using 

Chelex-100 in Na 

resin; dilute 

Seawater Acidify, dilute CIC-ICP­ <0.05 ng/mL No data Huang et al. 

MS 2002 

Seawater Acidify; add NAA 0.05 μg/L No data van der Sloot 

ammonium pyrrolidine et al. 1977 

dithiocarbamate; add 

activated charcoal; stir 

Soil Dry; digest in aqua ICP-AES No data No data Sadiq et al. 

regia/perchloric acid; 1992 

filter; dilute 

Soil, stream Fuse sample with UV/VIS of ~1 ppm 95–105% Quin and 

sediment, KHSO4; leach with tungsten- Brooks 1972a 

and rocks HCl; mix with SnCl2; dithiol 

add dithiol; dissolve complex at 

with petroleum spirits λ=630 nm 

Fertilizers Digest in HNO3, HCl, ICP-AES 0.002 mg/kg No data Senesi et al. 

and/or HClO4 acid(s); 1988 

dilute 

Onion Digest and redistill in ICP-MS 0.0180 μg/kg No data Bibak et al. 

HNO3; dilute fresh weight 1998 

Vegetation Ash; add SnCl2 UV/VIS of 0.01 ppm dry 95–105% Quin and 

solution; add dithiol; tungsten- weight Brooks 1972a 

dissolve with dithiol 

petroleum spirits complex at 

λ=630 nm 

Berries Microwave digestion; ICP-AES 0.0001 mg/g dry 108% Rodushkin et 

dilute weight al. 1999 

Wine Dilute sample to ICP-MS 0.01 ng/mL No data Pérez-Jordán 

volume. et al. 1998 

λ = wavelength; AAS = atomic absorption spectroscopy; AES = atomic emission spectrometry; CIC=chelation ion 

chromatography; DI = deionized; EtOH = ethanol; HCl = hydrochloric acid; HClO4 = perchloric acid; 

HF = hydrofluoric acid; HNO3 = nitric acid; HOOH = hydrogen peroxide; H2SO4 = quinine sulfate; ICP = inductively
 

coupled plasma; KHSO4 = potassium hydrogen sulfate; MIBK = methyl isobutyl ketone; MS = mass spectroscopy; 

NAA = neutron activation analysis; NaOH = sodium hydroxide; NaSO4 = sodium sulfate; 

(NH4)2Fe(SO4)2 = ammonium iron(II) sulfate; SnCl2 = tin chloride; UV/VIS = ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy; 

WO4

2- = tungstate ions 
 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 122 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

a tungsten-dithiol complex with an absorption wavelength at 630 nm. The detection limit for this 

technique was approximately 1 ppm in soil and 0.01 ppm dry weight in vegetation. 

NAA has been used to determine tungsten levels in environmental samples. Haddad and Zikovsky (1985) 

reported a detection limit of 0.20±0.09 μg/m3

 tungsten using NAA for determining tungsten in 

workplace/urban air particulate matter. Tungsten levels in seawater have been determined by NAA after 

first concentrating tungsten on activated charcoal by adsorption as the ammonium pyrrolidine 

dithiocarbamate complex (van der Sloot et al. 1977). The detection limit is 0.05 μg tungsten/L after a 

simple chemical separation. 

Tomiyasu and Yonehara (1996) determined the concentration of trace amounts of tungstate ions (WO4

2-) 

using a catalytic spectrophotometric method. In the presence of iron(II), chloropromazine is oxidized by 

hydrogen peroxide in a hydrochloric acid solution to form a red free radical, which is further oxidized to 

form a colorless compound. The reaction can be followed by measuring the increase in absorbance of the 

red free radical at 525 nm. Tungsten(VI) inhibits the color formation, and the maximum absorbance 

value decreases with an increase in tungsten(VI) concentration. Tungsten(VI) has been determined by 

this method in the concentration range of 2–500 μg/L. 

7.3 ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE 

Section 104(i)(5) of CERCLA, as amended, directs the Administrator of ATSDR (in consultation with the 

Administrator of EPA and agencies and programs of the Public Health Service) to assess whether 

adequate information on the health effects of tungsten is available. Where adequate information is not 

available, ATSDR, in conjunction with the National Toxicological Program (NTP), is required to assure 

the initiation of a program of research designed to determine the health effects (and techniques for 

developing methods to determine such health effects) of tungsten. 

The following categories of possible data needs have been identified by a joint team of scientists from 

ATSDR, NTP, and EPA. They are defined as substance-specific informational needs that if met would 

reduce the uncertainties of human health assessment. This definition should not be interpreted to mean 

that all data needs discussed in this section must be filled. In the future, the identified data needs will be 

evaluated and prioritized, and a substance-specific research agenda will be proposed. 
TUNGSTEN 123 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

7.3.1 Identification of Data Needs 

Methods for Determining Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect. 

Exposure. Analytical methods with satisfactory sensitivity, precision, and reliability are available to 

determine the levels of tungsten in human tissues and body fluids (Bárány et al. 2002a, 2002b; Le LamerDéchamps et al. 2003; Marquet et al. 1997; Paschal et al. 1998; Schramel et al. 1997). Existing analytical 

methods are sensitive enough to measure background levels in the population and levels at which 

biological effects occur. For example, detection limits of <0.05 ng/mL have been reported for tungsten in 

biological samples (Huang et al. 2002). Standard methods of analysis for determining the levels of 

tungsten in human tissues and body fluids are not available and are needed for inter-laboratory 

comparability of results. Methods for determining levels of tungsten compounds (e.g., tungstate ions) in 

human tissues and body fluids are not available. Additional methods for determining tungsten 

compounds in human tissues and body fluids may be useful for determining exposure from different 

tungsten species. 

Effect. There are no known sensitive and specific biomarkers of effect for tungsten. Therefore, no 

analytical method recommendations can be made for biomarkers of effect for tungsten at the present time. 

Methods for Determining Parent Compounds and Degradation Products in Environmental 

Media. Sensitive analytical methods are available to measure the levels of tungsten in environmental 

media (Hall et al. 1988; Johannesson et al. 2000; Konhauser et al. 1997; NIOSH 1994; Quin and Brooks 

1972a; Sadiq et al. 1992), although very limited information is available regarding the accuracy and 

precision of these methods. Further studies would be useful to ascertain the accuracy and precision of 

methods used to determine tungsten in environmental media so that the reliability of tungsten levels may 

be assessed. Most analytical methods are sensitive enough to determine levels of tungsten at which health 

effects may occur. Some of the available methods can be used to detect tungsten at nanogram levels 

(Huang et al. 2002). Most of these techniques measure total tungsten and do not distinguish among 

various tungsten compounds. Although limited, methods are available that determine levels of tungstate 

ions in environmental media (Tomiyasu and Yonehara 1996). Additional methods would be useful in 

determining environmental levels of specific tungsten compounds such that human exposure to these 

compounds may be assessed. 
TUNGSTEN 124 

7. ANALYTICAL METHODS 

7.3.2 Ongoing Studies 

No ongoing studies investigating new methods for detection and speciation of tungsten or tungsten 

compounds were identified in the Federal Research in Progress database (FEDRIP 2004). 
TUNGSTEN 125 

8. REGULATIONS AND ADVISORIES 

The international, national, and state regulations and guidelines regarding tungsten in air, water, and other 

media are summarized in Table 8-1. 

No MRLs were derived for inhalation or oral exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds. 

EPA has not classified tungsten or tungsten compounds for carcinogenicity, nor has the EPA derived 

reference concentrations (RfCs) or reference doses (RfDs) for tungsten or tungsten compounds (IRIS 

2005). EPA regulates the effluent discharge of tungsten at primary tungsten facilities (EPA 2005a) and 

tungsten or cobalt at secondary tungsten and cobalt facilities processing tungsten or tungsten carbide 

scrap raw materials (EPA 2005b). 

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), National Institute of 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 

regulate tungsten for occupational exposures. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 126 

8. REGULATIONS AND ADVISORIES 

Table 8-1. Regulations and Guidelines Applicable to Tungsten 

Agency Description	 Information Reference 

INTERNATIONAL 

Guidelines: 

IARC Carcinogenicity classification 

WHO Drinking water and air 

quality guidelines 

NATIONAL 

Regulations and 

Guidelines: 

a. Air: 

ACGIH TLV (8-hour TWA) 

 Tungsten (as W) 

Metal and insoluble 

compounds 

STEL 

Soluble compounds 

STEL 

NIOSH REL (10-hour TWA) 

Tungsten (also applies to 

insoluble tungsten 

compounds [as W]) 

STEL (15-minute TWA) 

OSHA PEL (8-hour TWA) for 

general industry 

PEL (8-hour TWA) for 

construction industry 

 Tungsten (as W) 

Insoluble compounds 

Soluble compounds 

PEL (8-hour TWA) for 

shipyard industry 

 Tungsten 

Insoluble compounds 

Soluble compounds 

USNRC Occupational values

 Oral ingestion 176W 

177W 

178W 

179W 

181W 

185W (LLI wall) 185W 

187W 

188W (LLI wall) 188W 

No data 

No data 

5 mg/m3 

10 mg/m3 

1 mg/m3 

3 mg/m3 

5 mg/m3 

10 mg/m3 

No data 

5 mg/m3 

1 mg/m3 

5 mg/m3 

1 mg/m3 

ALI (μCi)a 

1.0x104 

2.0x104 

5.0x103 

5.0x105 

2.0x104 

2.0x103 

3.0x103 

2.0x103 

4.0x102 

5.0x102 

ACGIH 2003 

NIOSH 2005 

OSHA 2005b 

29 CFR 1926.55, 

Appendix A 

OSHA 2005a 

29 CFR 1915.1000 

USNRC 2005 

10 CFR 20, 

Appendix B 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 

8. REGULATIONS AND ADVISORIES 

127 

Agency 

Table 8-1. Regulations and Guidelines Applicable to Tungsten 

Description Information Reference 

NATIONAL (cont.) 

USNRC Occupational values 

Inhalationb 

176W 

177W 

178W 

179W 

181W 

185W (LLI wall) 187W 

188W (LLI wall) 

b. Water No data 

c. Food No data 

d. Other 

ACGIH Carcinogenicity classification 

EPA Carcinogenicity classification 

RfC 

RfD 

Effluent guidelines and 

standards; nonferrous 

metals manufacturing point 

source category applicable 

to discharges resulting from 

the production of tungsten at 

primary tungsten facilities 

Effluent guidelines and 

standards; nonferrous 

metals manufacturing point 

source category applicable 

to discharges resulting from 

the production of tungsten or 

cobalt at secondary tungsten 

and cobalt facilities 

processing tungsten or 

tungsten carbide scrap raw 

materials 

USNRC Effluent concentrationsd 

176W 

177W 

178W 

179W 

181W 

185W (LLI wall) 185W 

187W 

188W (LLI wall) 188W 

ALI (μCi)a 

5.0x104 

9.0x104 

2.0x104 

2.0x106 

3.0x104 

7.0x103 

9.0x103 

1.0x103 

No data 

No data 

No data

No data 

Yes 

Yes 

Air 

(μCi/mL)e 

7.0x10-8 

1.0x10-7 

3.0x10-8 

2.0x10-6 

5.0x10-8 

9.0x10-9 

No data 

1.0x10-8 

2.0x10-9 

No data 

DAC (μCi/mL)c 

2.0x10-5 

4.0x10-5 

8.0x10-6 

7.0x10-4 

1.0x10-5 

3.0x10-6 

4.0x10-6 

5.0x10-7 

Water 

(μCi/mL)f 

1.0x10-4 

3.0x10-4 

7.0x10-5 

7.0x10-3 

2.0x10-4 

No data 

4.0x10-5 

3.0x10-5 

No data 

7.0x10-6 

USNRC 2005 

10 CFR 20, 

Appendix B 

ACGIH 2003 

IRIS 2005 

EPA 2005a 

40 CFR 421.100 

EPA 2005b 

40 CFR 421.310 

USNRC 2005 

10 CFR 20, 

Appendix B 
 

 

 

TUNGSTEN 128 

8. REGULATIONS AND ADVISORIES 

Table 8-1. Regulations and Guidelines Applicable to Tungsten 

Agency Description Information Reference 

NATIONAL (cont.) 

USNRC Release to sewersg 

176W 

177W 

178W 

179W 

181W 

185W 

187W 

188W 

Monthly average 

concentration (μCi/mL) 

1.0x10-3 

3.0x10-3 

7.0x10-4 

7.0x10-2 

2.0x10-3 

4.0x10-4 

3.0x10-4 

7.0x10-5 

USNRC 2005 

10 CFR 20, 

Appendix B 

STATE 

a. Air No data 

b. Water No data 

c. Food No data 

d. Other No data 

a

The ALIs in this table are the annual intakes of a given radionuclide by "Reference Man", which would result in 

either (1) a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (stochastic ALI) or (2) a committed dose equivalent of 

50 rems to an organ or tissue (non-stochastic ALI). The stochastic ALIs were derived to result in a risk, due to 

irradiation of organs and tissues, comparable to the risk associated with deep dose equivalent to the whole body of 

5 rems. The derivation includes multiplying the committed dose equivalent to an organ or tissue by a weighting 

factor, wT. This weighting factor is the proportion of the risk of stochastic effects resulting from irradiation of the 

organ or tissue, T, to the total risk of stochastic effects when the whole body is irradiated uniformly. The nonstochastic ALIs were derived to avoid non-stochastic effects, such as prompt damage to tissue or reduction in 

organ function. 

b

The ALIs and DACs for inhalation are given for an aerosol with an activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) 

of 1 μm and for class D of radioactive material, which refers to their retention (clearance half-times of <10 days) in 

the pulmonary region of the lung. 

c

The DAC values are derived limits intended to control chronic occupational exposures. The relationship between 

the DAC and the ALI is given by: DAC=ALI(in μCi)/(2,000 hours per working year x 60 minutes/hour x 2x104

 mL 

per minute)=[ALI/2.4x109

] μCi/mL, where 2x104 mL is the volume of air breathed per minute at work by "Reference 

Man" under working conditions of "light work." The DAC values relate to one of two modes of exposure: either 

external submersion or the internal committed dose equivalents resulting from inhalation of radioactive materials. 

Derived air concentrations based upon submersion are for immersion in a semi-infinite cloud of uniform 

concentration and apply to each radionuclide separately. 

d

Applicable to the assessment and control of dose to the public. The concentration values given are equivalent to 

the radionuclide concentrations that, if inhaled or ingested continuously over the course of a year, would produce a 

total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 rem (50 millirem or 0.5 millisievert). e

The air concentration values were derived by one of two methods. For those radionuclides for which the 

stochastic limit is governing, the occupational stochastic inhalation ALI was divided by 2.4x109

mL, relating the 

inhalation ALI to the DAC, as explained above, and then divided by a factor of 300. The factor of 300 includes the 

following components: a factor of 50 to relate the 5-rem annual occupational dose limit to the 0.1-rem limit for 

members of the public, a factor of 3 to adjust for the difference in exposure time and the inhalation rate for a 

worker and that for members of the public, and a factor of 2 to adjust the occupational values (derived for adults) 

so that they are applicable to other age groups. For those radionuclides for which submersion (external dose) is 

limiting, the occupational DAC in Table 1, Column 3 of USNRC (2005), was divided by 219. The factor of 219 is 

composed of a factor of 50, as described above, and a factor of 4.38 relating occupational exposure for 

2,000 hours per year to full-time exposure (8,760 hours/year). Note that an additional factor of 2 for age 

considerations is not warranted in the submersion case. 

f

The water concentrations were derived by taking the most restrictive occupational stochastic oral ingestion ALI 

and dividing by 7.3x107

. The factor of 7.3x107 (mL) includes the following components: the factors of 50 and 2 

described above and a factor of 7.3x105

 (mL), which is the annual water intake of "Reference Man." g

The monthly average concentrations for release to sanitary sewers are applicable to the provisions in § 20.2003. 
TUNGSTEN 

8. REGULATIONS AND ADVISORIES 

129 

Agency 

Table 8-1. Regulations and Guidelines Applicable to Tungsten 

Description Information Reference 

The concentration values were derived by taking the most restrictive occupational stochastic oral ingestion ALI and 

dividing by 7.3x106

(mL). The factor of 7.3x106(mL) is composed of a factor of 7.3x105(mL), the annual water 

intake by "Reference Man," and a factor of 10, such that the concentrations, if the sewage released by the licensee 

were the only source of water ingested by a reference man during a year, would result in a committed effective 

dose equivalent of 0.5 rem. 

ACGIH = American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists; ALI = annual limits on intakes; CFR = Code 

of Federal Regulations; DAC = derived air concentrations; EPA = Environmental Protection Agency; 

IARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer; LLI = lower large intestine; NIOSH = National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health; OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration; PEL = permissible 

exposure limit; REL = recommended exposure limit; RfC = inhalation reference concentration; RfD = oral reference 

dose; STEL = short-term exposure limit; TLV = threshold limit values; TWA = time-weighted average; 

USNRC = U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; WHO = World Health Organization 

 

_______________________ 

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TUNGSTEN 157 

10. GLOSSARY 

Absorption—The taking up of liquids by solids, or of gases by solids or liquids. 

Acute Exposure—Exposure to a chemical for a duration of 14 days or less, as specified in the 

Toxicological Profiles. 

Adsorption—The adhesion in an extremely thin layer of molecules (as of gases, solutes, or liquids) to the 

surfaces of solid bodies or liquids with which they are in contact. 

Adsorption Coefficient (Koc)—The ratio of the amount of a chemical adsorbed per unit weight of 

organic carbon in the soil or sediment to the concentration of the chemical in solution at equilibrium. 

Adsorption Ratio (Kd)—The amount of a chemical adsorbed by sediment or soil (i.e., the solid phase) 

divided by the amount of chemical in the solution phase, which is in equilibrium with the solid phase, at a 

fixed solid/solution ratio. It is generally expressed in micrograms of chemical sorbed per gram of soil or 

sediment. 

Benchmark Dose (BMD)—Usually defined as the lower confidence limit on the dose that produces a 

specified magnitude of changes in a specified adverse response. For example, a BMD10 would be the 

dose at the 95% lower confidence limit on a 10% response, and the benchmark response (BMR) would be 

10%. The BMD is determined by modeling the dose response curve in the region of the dose response 

relationship where biologically observable data are feasible. 

Benchmark Dose Model—A statistical dose-response model applied to either experimental toxicological 

or epidemiological data to calculate a BMD. 

Bioconcentration Factor (BCF)—The quotient of the concentration of a chemical in aquatic organisms 

at a specific time or during a discrete time period of exposure divided by the concentration in the 

surrounding water at the same time or during the same period. 

Biomarkers—Broadly defined as indicators signaling events in biologic systems or samples. They have 

been classified as markers of exposure, markers of effect, and markers of susceptibility. 

Cancer Effect Level (CEL)—The lowest dose of chemical in a study, or group of studies, that produces 

significant increases in the incidence of cancer (or tumors) between the exposed population and its 

appropriate control. 

Carcinogen—A chemical capable of inducing cancer. 

Case-Control Study—A type of epidemiological study that examines the relationship between a 

particular outcome (disease or condition) and a variety of potential causative agents (such as toxic 

chemicals). In a case-controlled study, a group of people with a specified and well-defined outcome is 

identified and compared to a similar group of people without outcome. 

Case Report—Describes a single individual with a particular disease or exposure. These may suggest 

some potential topics for scientific research, but are not actual research studies. 
TUNGSTEN 158 

10. GLOSSARY 

Case Series—Describes the experience of a small number of individuals with the same disease or 

exposure. These may suggest potential topics for scientific research, but are not actual research studies. 

Ceiling Value—A concentration of a substance that should not be exceeded, even instantaneously. 

Chronic Exposure—Exposure to a chemical for 365 days or more, as specified in the Toxicological 

Profiles. 

Cohort Study—A type of epidemiological study of a specific group or groups of people who have had a 

common insult (e.g., exposure to an agent suspected of causing disease or a common disease) and are 

followed forward from exposure to outcome. At least one exposed group is compared to one unexposed 

group. 

Cross-sectional Study—A type of epidemiological study of a group or groups of people that examines 

the relationship between exposure and outcome to a chemical or to chemicals at one point in time. 

Data Needs—Substance-specific informational needs that if met would reduce the uncertainties of human 

health assessment. 

Developmental Toxicity—The occurrence of adverse effects on the developing organism that may result 

from exposure to a chemical prior to conception (either parent), during prenatal development, or 

postnatally to the time of sexual maturation. Adverse developmental effects may be detected at any point 

in the life span of the organism. 

Dose-Response Relationship—The quantitative relationship between the amount of exposure to a 

toxicant and the incidence of the adverse effects. 

Embryotoxicity and Fetotoxicity—Any toxic effect on the conceptus as a result of prenatal exposure to 

a chemical; the distinguishing feature between the two terms is the stage of development during which the 

insult occurs. The terms, as used here, include malformations and variations, altered growth, and in utero 

death. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Health Advisory—An estimate of acceptable drinking water 

levels for a chemical substance based on health effects information. A health advisory is not a legally 

enforceable federal standard, but serves as technical guidance to assist federal, state, and local officials. 

Epidemiology—Refers to the investigation of factors that determine the frequency and distribution of 

disease or other health-related conditions within a defined human population during a specified period. 

Genotoxicity—A specific adverse effect on the genome of living cells that, upon the duplication of 

affected cells, can be expressed as a mutagenic, clastogenic, or carcinogenic event because of specific 

alteration of the molecular structure of the genome. 

Half-life—A measure of rate for the time required to eliminate one half of a quantity of a chemical from 

the body or environmental media. 

Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH)—The maximum environmental concentration of a 

contaminant from which one could escape within 30 minutes without any escape-impairing symptoms or 

irreversible health effects. 
TUNGSTEN 159 

10. GLOSSARY 

Immunologic Toxicity—The occurrence of adverse effects on the immune system that may result from 

exposure to environmental agents such as chemicals. 

Immunological Effects—Functional changes in the immune response. 

Incidence—The ratio of individuals in a population who develop a specified condition to the total 

number of individuals in that population who could have developed that condition in a specified time 

period. 

Intermediate Exposure—Exposure to a chemical for a duration of 15–364 days, as specified in the 

Toxicological Profiles. 

In Vitro—Isolated from the living organism and artificially maintained, as in a test tube. 

In Vivo—Occurring within the living organism. 

Lethal Concentration(Lo) (LCLo)—The lowest concentration of a chemical in air that has been reported 

to have caused death in humans or animals. 

Lethal Concentration(50) (LC50)—A calculated concentration of a chemical in air to which exposure for 

a specific length of time is expected to cause death in 50% of a defined experimental animal population. 

Lethal Dose(Lo) (LDLo)—The lowest dose of a chemical introduced by a route other than inhalation that 

has been reported to have caused death in humans or animals. 

Lethal Dose(50) (LD50)—The dose of a chemical that has been calculated to cause death in 50% of a 

defined experimental animal population. 

Lethal Time(50) (LT50)—A calculated period of time within which a specific concentration of a chemical 

is expected to cause death in 50% of a defined experimental animal population. 

Lowest-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level (LOAEL)—The lowest exposure level of chemical in a study, 

or group of studies, that produces statistically or biologically significant increases in frequency or severity 

of adverse effects between the exposed population and its appropriate control. 

Lymphoreticular Effects—Represent morphological effects involving lymphatic tissues such as the 

lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus. 

Malformations—Permanent structural changes that may adversely affect survival, development, or 

function. 

Minimal Risk Level (MRL)—An estimate of daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is 

likely to be without an appreciable risk of adverse noncancer health effects over a specified route and 

duration of exposure. 

Modifying Factor (MF)—A value (greater than zero) that is applied to the derivation of a Minimal Risk 

Level (MRL) to reflect additional concerns about the database that are not covered by the uncertainty 

factors. The default value for a MF is 1. 

Morbidity—State of being diseased; morbidity rate is the incidence or prevalence of disease in a specific 

population. 
TUNGSTEN 160 

10. GLOSSARY 

Mortality—Death; mortality rate is a measure of the number of deaths in a population during a specified 

interval of time. 

Mutagen—A substance that causes mutations. A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence of a cell’s 

DNA. Mutations can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer. 

Necropsy—The gross examination of the organs and tissues of a dead body to determine the cause of 

death or pathological conditions. 

Neurotoxicity—The occurrence of adverse effects on the nervous system following exposure to a 

chemical. 

No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level (NOAEL)—The dose of a chemical at which there were no 

statistically or biologically significant increases in frequency or severity of adverse effects seen between 

the exposed population and its appropriate control. Effects may be produced at this dose, but they are not 

considered to be adverse. 

Octanol-Water Partition Coefficient (Kow)—The equilibrium ratio of the concentrations of a chemical 

in n-octanol and water, in dilute solution. 

Odds Ratio (OR)—A means of measuring the association between an exposure (such as toxic substances 

and a disease or condition) that represents the best estimate of relative risk (risk as a ratio of the incidence 

among subjects exposed to a particular risk factor divided by the incidence among subjects who were not 

exposed to the risk factor). An OR of greater than 1 is considered to indicate greater risk of disease in the 

exposed group compared to the unexposed group. 

Organophosphate or Organophosphorus Compound—A phosphorus-containing organic compound 

and especially a pesticide that acts by inhibiting cholinesterase. 

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)—An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 

allowable exposure level in workplace air averaged over an 8-hour shift of a 40-hour workweek. 

Pesticide—General classification of chemicals specifically developed and produced for use in the control 

of agricultural and public health pests. 

Pharmacokinetics—The dynamic behavior of a material in the body, used to predict the fate 

(disposition) of an exogenous substance in an organism. Utilizing computational techniques, it provides 

the means of studying the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of chemicals by the body. 

Pharmacokinetic Model—A set of equations that can be used to describe the time course of a parent 

chemical or metabolite in an animal system. There are two types of pharmacokinetic models: data-based 

and physiologically-based. A data-based model divides the animal system into a series of compartments, 

which, in general, do not represent real, identifiable anatomic regions of the body, whereas the 

physiologically-based model compartments represent real anatomic regions of the body. 

Physiologically Based Pharmacodynamic (PBPD) Model—A type of physiologically based doseresponse model that quantitatively describes the relationship between target tissue dose and toxic end 

points. These models advance the importance of physiologically based models in that they clearly 

describe the biological effect (response) produced by the system following exposure to an exogenous 

substance. 
TUNGSTEN 161 

10. GLOSSARY 

Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Model—Comprised of a series of compartments 

representing organs or tissue groups with realistic weights and blood flows. These models require a 

variety of physiological information: tissue volumes, blood flow rates to tissues, cardiac output, alveolar 

ventilation rates, and possibly membrane permeabilities. The models also utilize biochemical 

information, such as air/blood partition coefficients, and metabolic parameters. PBPK models are also 

called biologically based tissue dosimetry models. 

Prevalence—The number of cases of a disease or condition in a population at one point in time. 

Prospective Study—A type of cohort study in which the pertinent observations are made on events 

occurring after the start of the study. A group is followed over time. 

q1*—The upper-bound estimate of the low-dose slope of the dose-response curve as determined by the 

multistage procedure. The q1* can be used to calculate an estimate of carcinogenic potency, the 

incremental excess cancer risk per unit of exposure (usually μg/L for water, mg/kg/day for food, and 

μg/m3

 for air). 

Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)—A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH) time-weighted average (TWA) concentration for up to a 10-hour workday during a 40-hour 

workweek. 

Reference Concentration (RfC)—An estimate (with uncertainty spanning perhaps an order of 

magnitude) of a continuous inhalation exposure to the human population (including sensitive subgroups) 

that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of deleterious noncancer health effects during a lifetime. 

The inhalation reference concentration is for continuous inhalation exposures and is appropriately 

expressed in units of mg/m3 or ppm. 

Reference Dose (RfD)—An estimate (with uncertainty spanning perhaps an order of magnitude) of the 

daily exposure of the human population to a potential hazard that is likely to be without risk of deleterious 

effects during a lifetime. The RfD is operationally derived from the no-observed-adverse-effect level 

(NOAEL, from animal and human studies) by a consistent application of uncertainty factors that reflect 

various types of data used to estimate RfDs and an additional modifying factor, which is based on a 

professional judgment of the entire database on the chemical. The RfDs are not applicable to 

nonthreshold effects such as cancer. 

Reportable Quantity (RQ)—The quantity of a hazardous substance that is considered reportable under 

the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Reportable 

quantities are (1) 1 pound or greater or (2) for selected substances, an amount established by regulation 

either under CERCLA or under Section 311 of the Clean Water Act. Quantities are measured over a 

24-hour period. 

Reproductive Toxicity—The occurrence of adverse effects on the reproductive system that may result 

from exposure to a chemical. The toxicity may be directed to the reproductive organs and/or the related 

endocrine system. The manifestation of such toxicity may be noted as alterations in sexual behavior, 

fertility, pregnancy outcomes, or modifications in other functions that are dependent on the integrity of 

this system. 
 

 

TUNGSTEN 162 

10. GLOSSARY 

Retrospective Study—A type of cohort study based on a group of persons known to have been exposed 

at some time in the past. Data are collected from routinely recorded events, up to the time the study is 

undertaken. Retrospective studies are limited to causal factors that can be ascertained from existing 

records and/or examining survivors of the cohort. 

Risk—The possibility or chance that some adverse effect will result from a given exposure to a chemical. 

Risk Factor—An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, an environmental exposure, or an inborn or 

inherited characteristic that is associated with an increased occurrence of disease or other health-related 

event or condition. 

Risk Ratio—The ratio of the risk among persons with specific risk factors compared to the risk among 

persons without risk factors. A risk ratio greater than 1 indicates greater risk of disease in the exposed 

group compared to the unexposed group. 

Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)—The American Conference of Governmental Industrial 

Hygienists (ACGIH) maximum concentration to which workers can be exposed for up to 15 minutes 

continually. No more than four excursions are allowed per day, and there must be at least 60 minutes 

between exposure periods. The daily Threshold Limit Value-Time Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) may 

not be exceeded. 

Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR)—A ratio of the observed number of deaths and the expected 

number of deaths in a specific standard population. 

Target Organ Toxicity—This term covers a broad range of adverse effects on target organs or 

physiological systems (e.g., renal, cardiovascular) extending from those arising through a single limited 

exposure to those assumed over a lifetime of exposure to a chemical. 

Teratogen—A chemical that causes structural defects that affect the development of an organism. 

Threshold Limit Value (TLV)—An American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists 

(ACGIH) concentration of a substance to which most workers can be exposed without adverse effect. 

The TLV may be expressed as a Time Weighted Average (TWA), as a Short-Term Exposure Limit 

(STEL), or as a ceiling limit (CL). 

Time-Weighted Average (TWA)—An allowable exposure concentration averaged over a normal 8-hour 

workday or 40-hour workweek. 

Toxic Dose(50) (TD50)—A calculated dose of a chemical, introduced by a route other than inhalation, 

which is expected to cause a specific toxic effect in 50% of a defined experimental animal population. 

Toxicokinetic—The absorption, distribution, and elimination of toxic compounds in the living organism. 
TUNGSTEN 163 

10. GLOSSARY 

Uncertainty Factor (UF)—A factor used in operationally deriving the Minimal Risk Level (MRL) or 

Reference Dose (RfD) or Reference Concentration (RfC) from experimental data. UFs are intended to 

account for (1) the variation in sensitivity among the members of the human population, (2) the 

uncertainty in extrapolating animal data to the case of human, (3) the uncertainty in extrapolating from 

data obtained in a study that is of less than lifetime exposure, and (4) the uncertainty in using lowestobserved-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) data rather than no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) data. 

A default for each individual UF is 10; if complete certainty in data exists, a value of 1 can be used; 

however, a reduced UF of 3 may be used on a case-by-case basis, 3 being the approximate logarithmic 

average of 10 and 1. 

Xenobiotic—Any chemical that is foreign to the biological system. 

TUNGSTEN A-1 

APPENDIX A. ATSDR MINIMAL RISK LEVELS AND WORKSHEETS 

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) [42 U.S.C. 

9601 et seq.], as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) [Pub. L. 99– 

499], requires that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) develop jointly with 

the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in order of priority, a list of hazardous substances most 

commonly found at facilities on the CERCLA National Priorities List (NPL); prepare toxicological 

profiles for each substance included on the priority list of hazardous substances; and assure the initiation 

of a research program to fill identified data needs associated with the substances. 

The toxicological profiles include an examination, summary, and interpretation of available toxicological 

information and epidemiologic evaluations of a hazardous substance. During the development of 

toxicological profiles, Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) are derived when reliable and sufficient data exist to 

identify the target organ(s) of effect or the most sensitive health effect(s) for a specific duration for a 

given route of exposure. An MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance 

that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse noncancer health effects over a specified duration 

of exposure. MRLs are based on noncancer health effects only and are not based on a consideration of 

cancer effects. These substance-specific estimates, which are intended to serve as screening levels, are 

used by ATSDR health assessors to identify contaminants and potential health effects that may be of 

concern at hazardous waste sites. It is important to note that MRLs are not intended to define clean-up or 

action levels. 

MRLs are derived for hazardous substances using the no-observed-adverse-effect level/uncertainty factor 

approach. They are below levels that might cause adverse health effects in the people most sensitive to 

such chemical-induced effects. MRLs are derived for acute (1–14 days), intermediate (15–364 days), and 

chronic (365 days and longer) durations and for the oral and inhalation routes of exposure. Currently, 

MRLs for the dermal route of exposure are not derived because ATSDR has not yet identified a method 

suitable for this route of exposure. MRLs are generally based on the most sensitive chemical-induced end 

point considered to be of relevance to humans. Serious health effects (such as irreparable damage to the 

liver or kidneys, or birth defects) are not used as a basis for establishing MRLs. Exposure to a level 

above the MRL does not mean that adverse health effects will occur. 
TUNGSTEN A-2 

APPENDIX A 

MRLs are intended only to serve as a screening tool to help public health professionals decide where to 

look more closely. They may also be viewed as a mechanism to identify those hazardous waste sites that 

are not expected to cause adverse health effects. Most MRLs contain a degree of uncertainty because of 

the lack of precise toxicological information on the people who might be most sensitive (e.g., infants, 

elderly, nutritionally or immunologically compromised) to the effects of hazardous substances. ATSDR 

uses a conservative (i.e., protective) approach to address this uncertainty consistent with the public health 

principle of prevention. Although human data are preferred, MRLs often must be based on animal studies 

because relevant human studies are lacking. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, ATSDR assumes 

that humans are more sensitive to the effects of hazardous substance than animals and that certain persons 

may be particularly sensitive. Thus, the resulting MRL may be as much as a hundredfold below levels 

that have been shown to be nontoxic in laboratory animals. 

Proposed MRLs undergo a rigorous review process: Health Effects/MRL Workgroup reviews within the 

Division of Toxicology, expert panel peer reviews, and agency-wide MRL Workgroup reviews, with 

participation from other federal agencies and comments from the public. They are subject to change as 

new information becomes available concomitant with updating the toxicological profiles. Thus, MRLs in 

the most recent toxicological profiles supersede previously published levels. For additional information 

regarding MRLs, please contact the Division of Toxicology, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 

Registry, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32, Atlanta, Georgia 30333. 
 

TUNGSTEN B-1 

APPENDIX B. USER'S GUIDE 

Chapter 1 

Public Health Statement 

This chapter of the profile is a health effects summary written in non-technical language. Its intended 

audience is the general public, especially people living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste site or 

chemical release. If the Public Health Statement were removed from the rest of the document, it would 

still communicate to the lay public essential information about the chemical. 

The major headings in the Public Health Statement are useful to find specific topics of concern. The 

topics are written in a question and answer format. The answer to each question includes a sentence that 

will direct the reader to chapters in the profile that will provide more information on the given topic. 

Chapter 2 

Relevance to Public Health 

This chapter provides a health effects summary based on evaluations of existing toxicologic, 

epidemiologic, and toxicokinetic information. This summary is designed to present interpretive, weightof-evidence discussions for human health end points by addressing the following questions: 

1.	 What effects are known to occur in humans? 

2. What effects observed in animals are likely to be of concern to humans? 

3. What exposure conditions are likely to be of concern to humans, especially around hazardous 

waste sites? 

The chapter covers end points in the same order that they appear within the Discussion of Health Effects 

by Route of Exposure section, by route (inhalation, oral, and dermal) and within route by effect. Human 

data are presented first, then animal data. Both are organized by duration (acute, intermediate, chronic). 

In vitro data and data from parenteral routes (intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous, etc.) are also 

considered in this chapter. 

The carcinogenic potential of the profiled substance is qualitatively evaluated, when appropriate, using 

existing toxicokinetic, genotoxic, and carcinogenic data. ATSDR does not currently assess cancer 

potency or perform cancer risk assessments. Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) for noncancer end points (if 

derived) and the end points from which they were derived are indicated and discussed. 

Limitations to existing scientific literature that prevent a satisfactory evaluation of the relevance to public 

health are identified in the Chapter 3 Data Needs section. 

Interpretation of Minimal Risk Levels 

Where sufficient toxicologic information is available, ATSDR has derived MRLs for inhalation and oral 

routes of entry at each duration of exposure (acute, intermediate, and chronic). These MRLs are not 
 

 

TUNGSTEN B-2 

APPENDIX B 

meant to support regulatory action, but to acquaint health professionals with exposure levels at which 

adverse health effects are not expected to occur in humans. 

MRLs should help physicians and public health officials determine the safety of a community living near 

a chemical emission, given the concentration of a contaminant in air or the estimated daily dose in water. 

MRLs are based largely on toxicological studies in animals and on reports of human occupational 

exposure. 

MRL users should be familiar with the toxicologic information on which the number is based. Chapter 2, 

"Relevance to Public Health," contains basic information known about the substance. Other sections such 

as Chapter 3 Section 3.9, "Interactions with Other Substances,” and Section 3.10, "Populations that are 

Unusually Susceptible" provide important supplemental information. 

MRL users should also understand the MRL derivation methodology. MRLs are derived using a 

modified version of the risk assessment methodology that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

provides (Barnes and Dourson 1988) to determine reference doses (RfDs) for lifetime exposure. 

To derive an MRL, ATSDR generally selects the most sensitive end point which, in its best judgement, 

represents the most sensitive human health effect for a given exposure route and duration. ATSDR 

cannot make this judgement or derive an MRL unless information (quantitative or qualitative) is available 

for all potential systemic, neurological, and developmental effects. If this information and reliable 

quantitative data on the chosen end point are available, ATSDR derives an MRL using the most sensitive 

species (when information from multiple species is available) with the highest no-observed-adverse-effect 

level (NOAEL) that does not exceed any adverse effect levels. When a NOAEL is not available, a 

lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) can be used to derive an MRL, and an uncertainty factor 

(UF) of 10 must be employed. Additional uncertainty factors of 10 must be used both for human 

variability to protect sensitive subpopulations (people who are most susceptible to the health effects 

caused by the substance) and for interspecies variability (extrapolation from animals to humans). In 

deriving an MRL, these individual uncertainty factors are multiplied together. The product is then 

divided into the inhalation concentration or oral dosage selected from the study. Uncertainty factors used 

in developing a substance-specific MRL are provided in the footnotes of the levels of significant exposure 

(LSE) tables. 

Chapter 3 

Health Effects 

Tables and Figures for Levels of Significant Exposure (LSE) 

Tables and figures are used to summarize health effects and illustrate graphically levels of exposure 

associated with those effects. These levels cover health effects observed at increasing dose 

concentrations and durations, differences in response by species, MRLs to humans for noncancer end 

points, and EPA's estimated range associated with an upper- bound individual lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 

10,000 to 1 in 10,000,000. Use the LSE tables and figures for a quick review of the health effects and to 

locate data for a specific exposure scenario. The LSE tables and figures should always be used in 

conjunction with the text. All entries in these tables and figures represent studies that provide reliable, 

quantitative estimates of NOAELs, LOAELs, or Cancer Effect Levels (CELs). 

The legends presented below demonstrate the application of these tables and figures. Representative 

examples of LSE Table 3-1 and Figure 3-1 are shown. The numbers in the left column of the legends 

correspond to the numbers in the example table and figure. 
TUNGSTEN B-3 

APPENDIX B 

LEGEND 

See Sample LSE Table 3-1 (page B-6) 

(1) Route of Exposure. One of the first considerations when reviewing the toxicity of a substance 

using these tables and figures should be the relevant and appropriate route of exposure. Typically 

when sufficient data exist, three LSE tables and two LSE figures are presented in the document. 

The three LSE tables present data on the three principal routes of exposure, i.e., inhalation, oral, 

and dermal (LSE Tables 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3, respectively). LSE figures are limited to the inhalation 

(LSE Figure 3-1) and oral (LSE Figure 3-2) routes. Not all substances will have data on each 

route of exposure and will not, therefore, have all five of the tables and figures. 

(2) Exposure Period. Three exposure periods—acute (less than 15 days), intermediate (15– 

364 days), and chronic (365 days or more)—are presented within each relevant route of exposure. 

In this example, an inhalation study of intermediate exposure duration is reported. For quick 

reference to health effects occurring from a known length of exposure, locate the applicable 

exposure period within the LSE table and figure. 

(3) Health Effect. The major categories of health effects included in LSE tables and figures are 

death, systemic, immunological, neurological, developmental, reproductive, and cancer. 

NOAELs and LOAELs can be reported in the tables and figures for all effects but cancer. 

Systemic effects are further defined in the "System" column of the LSE table (see key number 

18). 

(4) Key to Figure. Each key number in the LSE table links study information to one or more data 

points using the same key number in the corresponding LSE figure. In this example, the study 

represented by key number 18 has been used to derive a NOAEL and a Less Serious LOAEL 

(also see the two "18r" data points in sample Figure 3-1). 

(5) Species. The test species, whether animal or human, are identified in this column. Chapter 2, 

"Relevance to Public Health," covers the relevance of animal data to human toxicity and 

Section 3.4, "Toxicokinetics," contains any available information on comparative toxicokinetics. 

Although NOAELs and LOAELs are species specific, the levels are extrapolated to equivalent 

human doses to derive an MRL. 

(6) Exposure Frequency/Duration. The duration of the study and the weekly and daily exposure 

regimens are provided in this column. This permits comparison of NOAELs and LOAELs from 

different studies. In this case (key number 18), rats were exposed to “Chemical x” via inhalation 

for 6 hours/day, 5 days/week, for 13 weeks. For a more complete review of the dosing regimen, 

refer to the appropriate sections of the text or the original reference paper (i.e., Nitschke et al. 

1981). 

(7) System. This column further defines the systemic effects. These systems include respiratory, 

cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, musculoskeletal, hepatic, renal, and 

dermal/ocular. "Other" refers to any systemic effect (e.g., a decrease in body weight) not covered 

in these systems. In the example of key number 18, one systemic effect (respiratory) was 

investigated. 

(8) NOAEL. A NOAEL is the highest exposure level at which no harmful effects were seen in the 

organ system studied. Key number 18 reports a NOAEL of 3 ppm for the respiratory system, 
TUNGSTEN B-4 

APPENDIX B 

which was used to derive an intermediate exposure, inhalation MRL of 0.005 ppm (see 

footnote "b"). 

(9) LOAEL. A LOAEL is the lowest dose used in the study that caused a harmful health effect. 

LOAELs have been classified into "Less Serious" and "Serious" effects. These distinctions help 

readers identify the levels of exposure at which adverse health effects first appear and the 

gradation of effects with increasing dose. A brief description of the specific end point used to 

quantify the adverse effect accompanies the LOAEL. The respiratory effect reported in key 

number 18 (hyperplasia) is a Less Serious LOAEL of 10 ppm. MRLs are not derived from 

Serious LOAELs. 

(10)	 Reference. The complete reference citation is given in Chapter 9 of the profile. 

(11)	 CEL. A CEL is the lowest exposure level associated with the onset of carcinogenesis in 

experimental or epidemiologic studies. CELs are always considered serious effects. The LSE 

tables and figures do not contain NOAELs for cancer, but the text may report doses not causing 

measurable cancer increases. 

(12)	 Footnotes. Explanations of abbreviations or reference notes for data in the LSE tables are found 

in the footnotes. Footnote "b" indicates that the NOAEL of 3 ppm in key number 18 was used to 

derive an MRL of 0.005 ppm. 

LEGEND 

See Sample Figure 3-1 (page B-7) 

LSE figures graphically illustrate the data presented in the corresponding LSE tables. Figures help the 

reader quickly compare health effects according to exposure concentrations for particular exposure 

periods. 

(13)	 Exposure Period. The same exposure periods appear as in the LSE table. In this example, health 

effects observed within the acute and intermediate exposure periods are illustrated. 

(14)	 Health Effect. These are the categories of health effects for which reliable quantitative data 

exists. The same health effects appear in the LSE table. 

(15)	 Levels of Exposure. Concentrations or doses for each health effect in the LSE tables are 

graphically displayed in the LSE figures. Exposure concentration or dose is measured on the log 

scale "y" axis. Inhalation exposure is reported in mg/m3

 or ppm and oral exposure is reported in 

mg/kg/day. 

(16)	 NOAEL. In this example, the open circle designated 18r identifies a NOAEL critical end point in 

the rat upon which an intermediate inhalation exposure MRL is based. The key number 18 

corresponds to the entry in the LSE table. The dashed descending arrow indicates the 

extrapolation from the exposure level of 3 ppm (see entry 18 in the table) to the MRL of 

0.005 ppm (see footnote "b" in the LSE table). 

(17)	 CEL. Key number 38m is one of three studies for which CELs were derived. The diamond 

symbol refers to a CEL for the test species-mouse. The number 38 corresponds to the entry in the 

LSE table. 
TUNGSTEN B-5 

APPENDIX B 

(18)	 Estimated Upper-Bound Human Cancer Risk Levels. This is the range associated with the upperbound for lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 10,000,000. These risk levels are derived 

from the EPA's Human Health Assessment Group's upper-bound estimates of the slope of the 

cancer dose response curve at low dose levels (q1*). 

(19)	 Key to LSE Figure. The Key explains the abbreviations and symbols used in the figure. 
SAMPLE 

1 → Table 3-1. Levels of Significant Exposure to [Chemical x] – Inhalat

Key to figurea 

Exposure frequency/ 

Species duration System 

NOAEL (ppm) 

LOAEL (effect) 

Less serious (ppm) 

Serious (ppm) 

2 → INTERMEDIATE EXPOSURE 

5 6 7 8 9 

3 → Systemic ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ 

4 →

18 Rat 13 wk 

5 d/wk 6 hr/d 

Resp 3b 10 (hyperplasia) 

CHRONIC EXPOSURE Cancer 11 

↓

38 Rat 18 mo 

5 d/wk 7 hr/d 

20 (CEL, multiple 

organs) 

39 Rat 89–104

5 d/wk 6 hr/d 

wk 10 (CEL, lung tumors, 

nasal tumors) 

40 Mouse 79–103

5 d/wk 

wk 10 (CEL, lung tumors, 

hemangiosarcomas) 

6 hr/d 

12 → a The number corresponds to entries in Figure 3-1. b Used to derive an intermediate inhalation Minimal Risk Level (MRL) of 5x10-3 ppm; dose adjusted for intermittent 

by an uncertainty factor of 100 (10 for extrapolation from animal to humans, 10 for human variability). 


TUNGSTEN C-1 

APPENDIX C. ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SYMBOLS 

ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists 

ACOEM American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 

ADI acceptable daily intake 

ADME absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion 

AED atomic emission detection 

AFID alkali flame ionization detector 

AFOSH Air Force Office of Safety and Health 

ALT alanine aminotransferase 

AML acute myeloid leukemia 

AOAC Association of Official Analytical Chemists 

AOEC Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics 

AP alkaline phosphatase 

APHA American Public Health Association 

AST aspartate aminotransferase 

atm atmosphere 

ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

AWQC Ambient Water Quality Criteria 

BAT best available technology 

BCF bioconcentration factor 

BEI Biological Exposure Index 

BMD benchmark dose 

BMR benchmark response 

BSC Board of Scientific Counselors 

C centigrade 

CAA Clean Air Act 

CAG Cancer Assessment Group of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

CAS Chemical Abstract Services 

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

CEL cancer effect level 

CELDS Computer-Environmental Legislative Data System 

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

Ci curie 

CI confidence interval 

CL ceiling limit value 

CLP Contract Laboratory Program 

cm centimeter 

CML chronic myeloid leukemia 

CPSC Consumer Products Safety Commission 

CWA Clean Water Act 

DHEW Department of Health, Education, and Welfare 

DHHS Department of Health and Human Services 

DNA deoxyribonucleic acid 

DOD Department of Defense 

DOE Department of Energy 

DOL Department of Labor 

DOT Department of Transportation 
 

TUNGSTEN C-2 

APPENDIX C 

DOT/UN/ Department of Transportation/United Nations/ 

NA/IMCO North America/International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code 

DWEL drinking water exposure level 

ECD electron capture detection 

ECG/EKG electrocardiogram 

EEG electroencephalogram 

EEGL Emergency Exposure Guidance Level 

EPA Environmental Protection Agency 

F Fahrenheit 

F1 first-filial generation 

FAO Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations 

FDA Food and Drug Administration 

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency 

FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act 

FPD flame photometric detection 

fpm feet per minute 

FR Federal Register 

FSH follicle stimulating hormone 

g gram 

GC gas chromatography 

gd gestational day 

GLC gas liquid chromatography 

GPC gel permeation chromatography 

HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography 

HRGC high resolution gas chromatography 

HSDB Hazardous Substance Data Bank 

IARC International Agency for Research on Cancer 

IDLH immediately dangerous to life and health 

ILO International Labor Organization 

IRIS Integrated Risk Information System 

Kd adsorption ratio 

kg kilogram 

kkg metric ton 

Koc organic carbon partition coefficient 

Kow octanol-water partition coefficient 

L liter 

LC liquid chromatography 

LC50 lethal concentration, 50% kill 

LCLo lethal concentration, low 

LD50 lethal dose, 50% kill 

LDLo lethal dose, low 

LDH lactic dehydrogenase 

LH luteinizing hormone 

LOAEL lowest-observed-adverse-effect level 

LSE Levels of Significant Exposure 

LT50 lethal time, 50% kill 

m meter 

MA trans,trans-muconic acid 

MAL maximum allowable level 

mCi millicurie 

MCL maximum contaminant level 
 

TUNGSTEN C-3 

APPENDIX C 

MCLG maximum contaminant level goal 

MF modifying factor 

MFO mixed function oxidase 

mg milligram 

mL milliliter 

mm millimeter 

mmHg millimeters of mercury 

mmol millimole 

mppcf millions of particles per cubic foot 

MRL Minimal Risk Level 

MS mass spectrometry 

NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standard 

NAS National Academy of Science 

NATICH National Air Toxics Information Clearinghouse 

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

NCE normochromatic erythrocytes 

NCEH National Center for Environmental Health 

NCI National Cancer Institute 

ND not detected 

NFPA National Fire Protection Association 

ng nanogram 

NHANES National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 

NIEHS National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

NIOSHTIC NIOSH's Computerized Information Retrieval System 

NLM National Library of Medicine 

nm nanometer 

nmol nanomole 

NOAEL no-observed-adverse-effect level 

NOES National Occupational Exposure Survey 

NOHS National Occupational Hazard Survey 

NPD nitrogen phosphorus detection 

NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 

NPL National Priorities List 

NR not reported 

NRC National Research Council 

NS not specified 

NSPS New Source Performance Standards 

NTIS National Technical Information Service 

NTP National Toxicology Program 

ODW Office of Drinking Water, EPA 

OERR Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, EPA 

OHM/TADS Oil and Hazardous Materials/Technical Assistance Data System 

OPP Office of Pesticide Programs, EPA 

OPPT Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, EPA 

OPPTS Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, EPA 

OR odds ratio 

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

OSW Office of Solid Waste, EPA 

OTS Office of Toxic Substances 

OW Office of Water 
TUNGSTEN C-4 

APPENDIX C 

OWRS Office of Water Regulations and Standards, EPA 

PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 

PBPD physiologically based pharmacodynamic 

PBPK physiologically based pharmacokinetic 

PCE polychromatic erythrocytes 

PEL permissible exposure limit 

pg picogram 

PHS Public Health Service 

PID photo ionization detector 

pmol picomole 

PMR proportionate mortality ratio 

ppb parts per billion 

ppm parts per million 

ppt parts per trillion 

PSNS pretreatment standards for new sources 

RBC red blood cell 

REL recommended exposure level/limit 

RfC reference concentration 

RfD reference dose 

RNA ribonucleic acid 

RQ reportable quantity 

RTECS Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances 

SARA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act 

SCE sister chromatid exchange 

SGOT serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase 

SGPT serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase 

SIC standard industrial classification 

SIM selected ion monitoring 

SMCL secondary maximum contaminant level 

SMR standardized mortality ratio 

SNARL suggested no adverse response level 

SPEGL Short-Term Public Emergency Guidance Level 

STEL short term exposure limit 

STORET Storage and Retrieval 

TD50 toxic dose, 50% specific toxic effect 

TLV threshold limit value 

TOC total organic carbon 

TPQ threshold planning quantity 

TRI Toxics Release Inventory 

TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act 

TWA time-weighted average 

UF uncertainty factor 

U.S. United States 

USDA United States Department of Agriculture 

USGS United States Geological Survey 

VOC volatile organic compound 

WBC white blood cell 

WHO World Health Organization 
TUNGSTEN C-5 

APPENDIX C 

> greater than 

≥ greater than or equal to 

= equal to 

< less than 

≤ less than or equal to 

% percent 

α alpha 

β beta 

γ gamma 

δ delta 

μm micrometer 

μg microgram 

q1

* cancer slope factor 

– negative 

+ positive 

(+) weakly positive result 

(–) weakly negative result 

 

 

TUNGSTEN D-1 

APPENDIX D. INDEX 

absorbed dose ..................................................................................................................................................28, 29, 58 

adsorption ....................................................................................................................................................96, 112, 120 

ambient air.........................................................................................................................................2, 11, 87, 101, 109 

ammonium paratungstate.................................................................................................23, 28, 39, 73, 82, 83, 94, 106
 

anion exchange ............................................................................................................................................................96 

atomic absorption spectroscopy.........................................................................................................................115, 119 

beneficiation ................................................................................................................................................................83 

bioaccumulation ..........................................................................................................................................................94 

bioavailability ................................................................................................................................................87, 94, 112 

biokinetics....................................................................................................................43, 45, 47, 48, 51, 54, 58, 69, 70 

biological half-time......................................................................................................................................................41 

biomarkers .......................................................................................................................................57, 58, 69, 115, 121 

body tissues .........................................................................................................................................................57, 108 

body weight effects................................................................................................................................................28, 31 

breast milk ...........................................................................................................................................................57, 108 

cancer.............................................................................................................................5, 12, 16, 22, 30, 56, 64, 65, 68 

carcinogen..............................................................................................................................................................30, 35 

carcinogenic.............................................................................................................................13, 15, 30, 34, 64, 65, 71 

carcinogenicity ............................................................................................................................13, 30, 62, 65, 71, 123 

carcinoma ....................................................................................................................................................................30 

cardiovascular..................................................................................................................................................17, 28, 31 

cholinesterase ........................................................................................................................................................21, 29 

Churchill County ....................................................................................... 2, 11, 12, 30, 65, 67, 98, 109, 110, 113, 114 

City of Fallon.................................................................................................................2, 12, 65, 67, 98, 109, 113, 114
 

clearance..................................................................................................................................................41, 43, 52, 126 

complexation ...............................................................................................................................................................96 

death ................................................................................................................ 15, 17, 23, 24, 31, 37, 39, 52, 63, 68, 96 

dermal effects ..................................................................................................................................................17, 31, 63 

diet...............................................................................................................................................1, 23, 28, 36, 103, 108 

dietary intake .............................................................................................................................................................103 

disposal........................................................................................................................................................86, 101, 111 

DNA ......................................................................................................................................................................35, 58 

drinking water...................................................................... 3, 6, 11, 12, 23, 28, 30, 65, 89, 98, 99, 103, 109, 110, 113
 

dry deposition ........................................................................................................................................................87, 93 

endocrine .............................................................................................................................................17, 28, 31, 54, 55 

fate.........................................................................................................................................................................3, 111 

fetal tissue....................................................................................................................................................................57 

fetus .......................................................................................................................................................6, 12, 40, 55, 70 

fractional absorption....................................................................................................................................................45 

general population ...................................................................................................................12, 57, 89, 103, 108, 114 

genotoxic .........................................................................................................................................................15, 34, 35 

genotoxicity ...........................................................................................................................................................62, 66 

groundwater.................................................................................................................3, 11, 67, 87, 91, 93, 98, 99, 112
 

half-life ................................................................................................................................................................57, 117 

hematological effects...................................................................................................................................................33 

hydroxyl radical.........................................................................................................................................12, 35, 53, 68 

immunological...........................................................................................................................................15, 21, 29, 68 

implanted ...........................................................................................................................................13, 34, 64, 65, 110 

indoor air .....................................................................................................................................................................98 

Kow .............................................................................................................................................................78, 79, 80, 81 

LD50 .................................................................................................................................................................23, 24, 33 

leukemia ..............................................................................................................................................................30, 109 
 

TUNGSTEN D-2 

APPENDIX D 

lymphatic .....................................................................................................................................................................52 

lymphoreticular......................................................................................................................................................21, 29 

mass spectroscopy .....................................................................................................................................................119 

metallic tungsten..........................................................................................................20, 22, 28, 29, 36, 38, 63, 64, 85 

micronuclei..................................................................................................................................................................35 

milk........................................................................................................................................................6, 40, 41, 57, 70 

mucociliary......................................................................................................................................................38, 41, 43 

neoplastic...............................................................................................................................................................35, 66 

neurobehavioral ...........................................................................................................................................................55 

neutron activation analysis ........................................................................................................................115, 116, 119 

nuclear .........................................................................................................................................................................94 

occupational exposure ........................................................................................... 12, 16, 17, 37, 62, 68, 109, 123, 126 

occupationally exposed..................................................................................................4, 20, 36, 37, 53, 103, 106, 109
 

ocular effects ...................................................................................................................................................17, 28, 31 

odds ratio .....................................................................................................................................................................30 

ossification.................................................................................................................................................12, 30, 56, 67 

particulate-phase....................................................................................................................................................93, 94 

pharmacodynamic........................................................................................................................................................42 

pharmacokinetics.................................................................................................................................41, 42, 44, 54, 56 

photolysis.....................................................................................................................................................................94 

placenta............................................................................................................................................................40, 57, 70 

placental barrier ...........................................................................................................................................................12 

pulmonary edema ..................................................................................................................................................20, 62 

pulmonary fibrosis...................................................................................................................12, 20, 53, 62, 63, 64, 68 

renal effects .................................................................................................................................................................28 

retention.................................................................................................................................40, 43, 45, 48, 50, 59, 126 

sodium phosphotungstate ....................................................................................................................................96, 103 

sodium tungstate.................................17, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 63, 65, 66, 83, 85, 96, 103 

solubility............................................................................................................................................16, 17, 52, 53, 106 

sorption coefficient......................................................................................................................................................93 

speciation.............................................................................................................................................................95, 122 

surface water................................................................................................................2, 11, 87, 91, 96, 97, 98, 99, 103
 

toxicokinetics.............................................................................................................................................15, 36, 69, 70 

tungsten alloy................................................................................................... 11, 13, 16, 33, 34, 35, 64, 65, 66, 71, 85 

tungsten carbide......2, 4, 7, 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 33, 35, 53, 58, 62, 63, 68, 73, 85, 87, 90, 103, 104, 106, 109, 123, 125 

tungsten carbonyl.............................................................................................................................................75, 90, 93 

tungsten chloride..................................................................................................................................31, 37, 39, 52, 63 

tungsten dioxide.....................................................................................................................................................20, 74 

tungsten fluoride..........................................................................................................................................................77 

tungsten hexacarbonyl .................................................................................................................................................75 

tungsten hexachloride......................................................................................................................................76, 83, 94 

tungsten hexafluoride ..................................................................................................................................................93 

tungsten polyanions .....................................................................................................................................................95 

tungsten trioxide ....................................................................................................................20, 64, 73, 74, 87, 94, 106 

tungstic oxide...........................................................................................................................23, 28, 36, 37, 38, 39, 74 

vapor pressure..............................................................................................................................................................93 

wet deposition........................................................................................................................................................87, 93 

wolfram .......................................................................................................................................................................76