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Biomonitoring of Platinum Group Elements (PGEs) in Occupational Medicine Iavicoli Ivo and Leso Veruscka Abstract Platinum, palladium, rhodium and iridium are platinum group elements (PGEs) employed in several industrial, chemical, and electronic applications and as active catalyst materials in automotive converters. However, despite the widespread use of these metals and their increasing emission into the environment due to the abrasion of catalytic devices, little is known of their toxic effects. Considerable concern has therefore arisen over the potential health risks for the general popu- lation and particularly for workers exposed to PGEs during production and recy- cling activities or via traffic emissions. Consequently, biological monitoring is important in order to assess PGE exposure, early effects and susceptibility factors so that occupational risks can be adequately evaluated and managed. This chapter aims to evaluate potential biomarkers of occupational PGE exposure and discuss issues regarding future research aimed at determining indicators of early PGE effects and susceptibility, and focus on the relevance and feasibility of these potential bio- markers in occupational health practice. Keywords Platinum group elements (PGEs) Platinum Palladium Rhodium Iridium Biological monitoring Biomarkers of exposure Biomarkers of effect Biomarkers of susceptibility 1 Introduction Among the platinum group elements (PGEs) we find platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh) and iridium (Ir) that are rare, transition metals with similar physico- chemical properties that include high resistance to wear, tarnish and chemical attack, stable electrical properties and outstanding catalytic and high temperature I. Ivo () L. Veruscka Institute of Public Health—Division of Occupational Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vi