Effects of benzo[a]pyrene on autonomic nervous system of coke oven workers.
Objectives are to investigate the effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on the autonomic nervous system of coke oven workers. One hundred eighty-four coke oven workers were divided into 3 groups according to their working sites (coke oven bottom group, coke oven side group and coke oven top group), and 93 referents were recruited. B[a]P monitored by air sampling pumps as well as urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-Py) was determined by high performance liquid chromatograph with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD). The autonomic nervous system (ANS) function was determined by 4 tests: Valsalva Manoeuvre heart rate variation (HR-V), variation of heart rate when breathing deeply (HR-DB), variation of heart rate when instantly standing up (HR-IS, including RR30:15 and RRmax:min) and variation of blood pressure when instantly standing up (BP-IS). The B[a]P mean concentrations in coke oven bottom, coke oven side and coke oven top were 19, 185 and 1,623 ng/m(3), respectively. The levels of urinary 1-OH-Py were markedly higher in the 3 exposed groups than that in the referent group (p<0.01). No significant difference was found in each group between smokers and non-smokers (p>0.05). Compared with referents, HR-V decreased significantly in coke oven workers (p<0.01), representing modulation of parasympathetic nervous function. However, no statistical differences were found in HR-DB, RR30:15, RRmax:min and BP-IS between the exposed groups and the control group (p>0.05). HR-V decreased with the increment of 1-OH-Py (p<0.05), and results of multiple linear stepwise regression demonstrated that external exposure level and duration of education entered the HR-V model; age was a significant factor of HR-DB and RRmax:min, but no variable was involved in RR30:15 and BP-IS regression. Benzo[a]pyrene affects the autonomic nervous function of coke oven workers mainly by down-regulating the parasympathetic nervous function.
Zhang
Hong-Mei
HM
Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, China.
Nie
Ji-Sheng
JS
Wang
Fang
F
Shi
Ying-Tao
YT
Zhang
Ling
L
Antonucci
Andrea
A
Liu
Hui-Jun
HJ
Wang
Jing
J
Zhao
Jie
J
Zhang
Qin-Li
QL
Wang
Lin-Ping
LP
Song
Jing
J
Xue
Cui-E
CE
Di Gioacchino
Mario
M
Niu
Qiao
Q
D000328:Adult; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D003077:Coke; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016482:Urinalysis
D003077:Coke; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene