title: Biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in European coke oven workers.
abstract: Biomonitoring is an excellent method for capturing the results of all exposures, regardless of route. Coke oven workers include certain groups that have the potential for high exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other materials. Biomarkers of exposure to these agents include PAH metabolites as markers of internal dose and carcinogen-DNA adducts as measure of effective dose. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of these biomarkers in persons with different job duties in a modern coke oven plant. We report that the mean levels of 1-hydroxypyrene (1HP) and carcinogen DNA adducts in the exfoliated urothelial cells of coke oven workers are increased the closer a group of workers is to the ovens and highest in the top oven workers with average 1HP level of 11.6 μg/l and 22 adducts per 10(9) unadducted nucleotides. Both 1HP and carcinogen DNA adduct levels increased in supervisors, area workers, side oven workers, top and side oven workers, and top oven workers, respectively. These data are the first to demonstrate an increase in target organ genotoxicity in coke oven workers and a relationship with other biomarkers. Future studies will determine the identity of the DNA adducts, their correlation with 1HP levels and the relationship between levels in individual workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056, USA. Electronic address: glenn.talaska@uc.edu.
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Talaska
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056, USA.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thoroman
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056, USA.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schuman
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Buerkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, Bochum 44789, Germany.
authors.forename: Heiko Udo
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Käfferlein
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D003077:Coke / Q000032:analysis*; D018736:DNA Adducts; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000652:urine; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003077:Coke; D018736:DNA Adducts; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene
keywords: 1-Hydroxypyrene; Biomonitoring; Carcinogen-DNA adduct; Coke ovens; Exfoliated urothelial cells; Top oven workers