Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: relations between atmospheric mixtures, urinary metabolites and sampling times.
OBJECTIVE
Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be assessed by either air monitoring or biomonitoring using urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) or 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (3-OHBaP). The aim of this study was to understand the links between atmospheric PAHs and urinary metabolites, in order to improve the biomonitoring strategy for assessing carcinogenic risk.


METHODS
Personal air sampling for pyrene and BaP measurements, and urines for 1-OHP and 3-OHBaP analyses of seven workers from electrode production plant were collected every day of the working week.


RESULTS
High variability of atmospheric levels between activities and between days was observed, especially for gaseous pyrene. No correlation was found between urinary metabolites: 1-OHP maximum levels occurred for "electrode extrusion" activity; those of 3-OHBaP occurred for "raw materials dispatcher." Sixty percentage of 3-OHBaP maximum levels were observed in urines collected at the beginning of shift the last workday. Those of 1-OHP occurred at different sampling times, depending on the gaseous pyrene levels (not stopped by P3 respirators). Dermal absorption of PAHs was confirmed by significant effect of particulate pyrene on 1-OHP in the samples collected the morning of the following day (p < 0.02, n = 25).


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of correlation between metabolites concentrations emphasizes the non-relevance of 1-OHP, from a non-carcinogenic gaseous and particulate compound, and the great interest of 3-OHBaP, from carcinogenic BaP. Its slower urinary elimination prevents the risk of exposure underestimation, and urinary analysis should be performed at the beginning of shift the end of working week, especially in case of high exposure variability.
Equipe Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations, Laboratoire TIMC-IMAG, UMR CNRS 5525, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1, Faculté de Médecine, Domaine de la Merci, 38700, La Tronche, France.|Laboratoire de Toxicologie Professionnelle et Environnementale, DBTP, IBP, CHU de Grenoble, CS 10217, Grenoble, 38043, France.
Damien
D
Barbeau
Equipe Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations, Laboratoire TIMC-IMAG, UMR CNRS 5525, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1, Faculté de Médecine, Domaine de la Merci, 38700, La Tronche, France.
Simon
S
Lutier
Equipe Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations, Laboratoire TIMC-IMAG, UMR CNRS 5525, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1, Faculté de Médecine, Domaine de la Merci, 38700, La Tronche, France.
Vincent
V
Bonneterre
Laboratoire de Toxicologie Professionnelle et Environnementale, DBTP, IBP, CHU de Grenoble, CS 10217, Grenoble, 38043, France.
Renaud
R
Persoons
Equipe Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations, Laboratoire TIMC-IMAG, UMR CNRS 5525, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1, Faculté de Médecine, Domaine de la Merci, 38700, La Tronche, France.
Marie
M
Marques
Laboratoire de Toxicologie Professionnelle et Environnementale, DBTP, IBP, CHU de Grenoble, CS 10217, Grenoble, 38043, France.
Claire
C
Herve
Equipe Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations, Laboratoire TIMC-IMAG, UMR CNRS 5525, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1, Faculté de Médecine, Domaine de la Merci, 38700, La Tronche, France. anne.maitre@ujf-grenoble.fr.|Laboratoire de Toxicologie Professionnelle et Environnementale, DBTP, IBP, CHU de Grenoble, CS 10217, Grenoble, 38043, France. anne.maitre@ujf-grenoble.fr.
Anne
A
Maitre
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D066192:Manufacturing Industry; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000652:urine; D013997:Time Factors
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001580:Benzopyrenes; D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; C021338:3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene
1-hydroxypyrene (CAS: 5315-79-7); 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (CAS: 13345-21-6); Biomonitoring; Occupational exposure; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons