Mortality and cancer experience of Quebec aluminum reduction plant workers. Part I: The reduction plants and coal tar pitch volatile (CTPV) exposure assessment.
OBJECTIVE
This paper presents the exposure assessment and job-exposure matrix (JEM) used to estimate coal tar pitch volatile (CTPV) exposure for a study of mortality and cancer incidence in aluminum smelter workers in Quebec, Canada.


METHODS
Historical CTPV exposure was assessed by estimating benzene-soluble material (BSM) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) levels for combinations of job and time period. Estimates were derived by using several procedures including averaging measurement data, a deterministic mathematical model using process-related correction factors, and expert-based extrapolation.


RESULTS
The JEM comprised 28,910 jobs, covering 7 facilities from 1916 to 1999. Estimated exposures ranged from 0.01 microg/m(3) to 68.08 microg/m(3) (B[a]P) and 0.01 mg/m(3) to 3.64 mg/m(3) (BSM) and were lowest before 1940 and after 1980.


CONCLUSIONS
This methodology constitutes an improvement compared with methods used for previous studies of the Quebec cohort.
Lavoué
Jérôme
J
Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Santé, Département de Santé Environnementale et Santé au Travail, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Jerome.lavoue@hospvd.ch
Gérin
Michel
M
Côté
Jacques
J
Lapointe
Richard
R
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D000535:Aluminum; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008669:Metallurgy; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D003033:Coal Tar; D000535:Aluminum; D001554:Benzene