title: Impacts of atmospheric chlor-alkali factory emissions in surrounding populations.
abstract: Environmental exposures need to be assessed for the understanding of the health risks of general population. Organochlorine compounds (OCs) from chlor-alkali plants (CAPs) are significant for the exposomes of individuals living in locations receiving their emissions and have to be determined. The aims of the study are to identify the area of influence of past and present OC emissions from CAPs and to set quantitative body burden estimates. A CAP situated in a rural area was selected for study. The geographic distribution of the atmospheric emissions was monitored using olive tree leaves. Human biomonitoring was assessed by serum analysis from general population (n=1340). OC concentrations followed exponential decay functions with maxima in the immediate vicinity of the factory. The individuals living within 1km exhibited hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and DDT-DDE (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) concentrations that were 12, 1.3-1.9 and 3.9 times higher than in sites not influenced by the emissions from this factory. Individuals from municipalities situated 15-25km away from the CAP showed 1.5, 1.2-1.4 and 1.3 times higher serum HCB, PCB and DDT concentrations than in distant sites. The high serum concentrations of DDT and PCBs were observed even 23-31years and 9-17years after manufacture completion of these compounds, respectively. Our methodology provides a way for assessment of the influence of past and present atmospheric OCs emissions from CAPs into the exposome of individuals living in nearby areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garí
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Department of Applied Environmental Science (ITM) and the Bert Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: joan.grimalt@idaea.csic.es.
authors.forename: Joan O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Grimalt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Dr Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sunyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D003634:DDT / Q000097:blood; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D031658:Olea / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D013030:Spain; D013995:Time; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; D003634:DDT; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Atmospheric emissions; Chlor-alkali plant; Exposome; Organochlorine compounds; Serum concentrations; Tree leaves