The relationship between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air and in urine of workers in a Söderberg potroom.
The relationships between increase of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene over the workweek and the airborne concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene and coal tar pitch volatiles (CTPVs) were studied among groups of workers in a vertical-stud Söderberg potroom of an aluminum smelter. There was a strong correlation between the natural logarithm of the pyrene concentration and the natural logarithm of the total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) concentration in personal air samples (r = 0.94). 1-Hydroxypyrene as the major metabolite of pyrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, was used as a marker for exposure to PAHs. A strong positive correlation was found between the natural logarithm of increase of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and the natural logarithm of the estimated airborne PAH exposure (R2 = 0.84 with CTPV) when the use of facial protective clothing was taken into account. The relationship between increase of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and PAHs differed for workers who used facial protective clothing under their respirators compared to those who did not. A contradictory fact was found: the use of facial protection seemed to lead to an elevated increase of 1-hydroxypyrene over the workweek. The regression model for the relationship between increase of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene over the workweek and airborne CTPV was: LN(change in 1-hydroxypyrene) = -4.7 + 1.2 LN(CTPV) -0.44 LN(CTPV)*(use of facial protection) + 3.5 (use of facial protection).
Tjoe Ny
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E
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Heederik
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D
Kromhout
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H
Jongeneelen
F
F
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005145:Face; D006801:Humans; D009153:Mutagens / Q000032:analysis*; D009790:Occupations; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011481:Protective Clothing; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices; D016482:Urinalysis
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001580:Benzopyrenes; D009153:Mutagens; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; D011721:Pyrenes; D003033:Coal Tar; D003404:Creatinine; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene