title: Porphyrin status in aluminum foundry workers exposed to hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene.
abstract: The possible interference of hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene (i.e., thermal byproducts from hexachloroethane in aluminum degassing) with porphyrin metabolism was investigated in exposed workers. Urine specimens from 9 male aluminum foundry workers (i.e., smelters) at 6 different companies and from 18 controls-matched for sex, age, residence, and socioeconomic status-were analyzed for total porphyrins and porphyrin isomers. Workers exposed to hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene had a statistically significant increase in urinary total porphyrins, compared with controls (mean +/- standard deviation: 13.63 +/- 11.13 micromol/mol creatinine and 6.24 +/- 3.84 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively; p = .02). The authors attributed the results mainly to differences in excretion of coproporphyrins-notably coproporphyrin III. Erythrocyte uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity was similar in both groups. There was a high correlation between levels of hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene, respectively, in plasma and urinary excretion of porphyrins; these findings, however, relied heavily on 1 subject for whom extreme values were obtained. The results indicated that occupational exposure to hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene in aluminum degassing with hexachloroethane may affect porphyrin metabolism in a manner consistent with early secondary coproporphyrinuria-the first recognized step in the development of chronic hepatic porphyria. It was also noted that changes remained detectable some years after exposure ceased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Orebro Medical Centre Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Seldén
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Floderus
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Bodin
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Westberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thunell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000535:Aluminum; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D011164:Porphyrias / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D013343:Styrenes / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D011166:Porphyrins; D013343:Styrenes; C014138:octachlorostyrene; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; D000535:Aluminum