Serum organochlorines and urinary porphyrin pattern in a population highly exposed to hexachlorobenzene.
BACKGROUND
Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is caused by hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in several species of laboratory mammals, but the human evidence is contradictory. In a study among adults of a population highly exposed to HCB (Flix, Catalonia, Spain), the prevalence of PCT was not increased. We aimed at analysing the association of individual urinary porphyrins with the serum concentrations of HCB and other organochlorine compounds in this highly exposed population.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study on total porphyrins was carried out in 1994 on 604 inhabitants of the general population of Flix, older than 14 years. Of them, 241 subjects (comprising a random sample and the subgroup with the highest exposure) were included for the present study. The porphyrin profile was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Serum concentrations of HCB, as well as common organochlorine compounds, were determined by gas chromatography coupled to electron capture detection.


RESULTS
Coproporphyrin I (CPI) and coproporphyrin III (CPIII) were the major porphyrins excreted, while uroporphyrins I and III were only detected in 2% and 36% of the subjects respectively, and heptaporphyrins I and III in 1% and 6%, respectively. CPI and CPIII decreased with increasing HCB concentrations (p < 0.05). This negative association was not explained by age, alcohol, smoking, or other organochlorine compounds. No association was found between uroporphyrin I and III excretion, nor heptaporphyrin excretion, and HCB. CPIII increased with smoking (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
HCB exposure in this highly exposed population did not increase urinary concentrations of individual porphyrins.
Sunyer
Jordi
J
Respiratory and Environmental Research Unit, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. jsunyer@imim.es
Herrero
Carmen
C
Ozalla
Dolores
D
Sala
Maria
M
Ribas-Fitó
Núria
N
Grimalt
Joan
J
Basagaña
Xavier
X
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D002617:Chemical Industry; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017119:Porphyria Cutanea Tarda / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000652:urine; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine*; D013030:Spain
D000393:Air Pollutants; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D011166:Porphyrins; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene