title: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-deoxyribonucleic acid (PAH-DNA) adduct levels and exposure to coke oven emissions among workers in Taiwan.
abstract: In this study, the authors evaluated the relationship between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-deoxyribonucleic acid (PAH-DNA) adduct levels in workers' peripheral white blood cells (WBCs) and their occupational exposures to coke oven emissions (measured by air and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene [1-OHP]). Personal exposures to smoking, charbroiled food, changing clothes in the workplace, and respirator use were determined by questionnaire. Eighty-nine coke oven workers were divided into 3 exposure groups on the basis of job description: topside workers, cokeside workers, and plant office staff. Referent subjects comprised 63 individuals from the same company who worked at a site remote from the coking plant. The geometric mean (GM) PAH-DNA adduct levels determined from the WBCs of the exposed groups were 6.86, 1.56, and 0.90 adducts/10(8) nucleotides, respectively (referents = 0.38 adducts/10(8) nucleotides). GM personal benzene soluble fraction (BSF) exposures for the exposed groups were 483.2 microg/m3, 70.1 microg/m3, and 43.2 microg/m3, respectively (referents = 10.7 microg/m3). There was a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between individual BSF and PAH-DNA adduct levels for the exposed groups. The authors also found a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between urinary 1-OHP levels from the day 2 samples of the exposed groups and their PAH-DNA adduct levels. The logistic-regression model revealed that PAH-DNA adduct levels were significantly different between job categories. The results of this study indicate that BSF exposure is the primary contributor to PAH-DNA adduct levels determined from WBCs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Lien
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bing-Chi
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Pei-Ling
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: I-Fang
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Tsung-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003077:Coke; D018736:DNA Adducts; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D007221:Industry; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000506:poisoning*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D003077:Coke; D018736:DNA Adducts; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons