Exposure and health-risk assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) for sinter plant workers.
This study was set out to assess polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) exposures and health-risk impact posed on sinter plant workers. One sinter plant located in southern Taiwan was selected and their workers were divided into four exposure groups based on their work tasks, including raw material charging workers, sintering grate workers, shredding workers, and others. Results show that their mean total PCDD/F and the corresponding total I-TEQ exposure levels shared the same trend as: shredding workers>others>sintering grate workers>raw material charging workers. For all selected exposure groups, their PCDD/F exposures were dominated by the particle phase contents. Congener profiles of the gaseous+particle phase PCDD/Fs were found with more fractions of high chlorinated congeners than low chlorinated congeners. The lifetime average daily doses (LADDs) and their resultant excess cancer risks (ECRs) found for sinter plant workers were higher than those residents living at the residential area and rural area, but were lower than those living at the nearby of the selected sinter plant, urban area, industrial area. Considering ECRs of the sinter plant workers were still higher than 10(-6) suggesting the need for adopting proper control measurements for reducing workers' PCDD/F exposures, particularly for those sinter zone workers.
Shih
Tung-Sheng
TS
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan, 99, Lane 407, Heng-Ke Rd., Shijr, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lee
Wen-Jhy
WJ
Shih
Minliang
M
Chen
Yu-Cheng
YC
Huang
Sheng-Lung
SL
Wang
Lin-Chi
LC
Chang-Chien
Guo-Ping
GP
Tsai
Perng-Jy
PJ
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013624:Taiwan
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D005740:Gases; D052638:Particulate Matter; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins