title: PCDD, PCDF, and PCB exposure in current and former firefighters from Eastern Siberia.
abstract: The current study examines whether the occupation of firefighting contributes to exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). We compared serum dioxin concentrations and congener profiles of current firefighters (n=13) with those of men who have ceased employment as firefighters (n=17) and with men employed in occupations other than firefighter (n=10). We found that compared to former or non-firefighters, current firefighters have higher levels of dioxins primarily due to the contribution of PCBs and to a lesser extent PCDFs. PCDFs were significantly higher in former firefighters compared to non-firefighters (p<0.05). Comparisons with studies performed by other investigators suggest that local environmental conditions contribute to some of the elevation of PCBs. The congeners 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzodioxin and PCB-114 were significantly higher in current firefighters when compared to former or non-firefighters. Moreover, levels of these congeners were inversely correlated with years since employed as firefighter (Spearman r=-0.610, p=0.009 and Spearman r=-0.53, p=0.03, respectively). The classes of dioxins show an overall decline with years since employed as firefighters, this decline is most evident with PCDDs (Spearman r=-0.46, p=0.06). Together, the combination of evidence supports firefighting as a source of exposure to dioxins.
authors: Institute of Occupational Health & Human Ecology, East-Siberian Scientific Center of Human Ecology, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 1170, Angarsk 665827, Russia. yuri chernyak@hotmail.com
authors: Yury I
authors: YI
authors: Chernyak
authors: Andrey A
authors: AA
authors: Shelepchikov
authors: Efim S
authors: ES
authors: Brodsky
authors: Jean A
authors: JA
authors: Grassman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D061388:Firefighters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D012800:Siberia; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C046839:1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzodioxin