title: Inhalation Exposure to Dioxins and dl-PCBs Depending on the Season in Upper Silesia, Poland: A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the seasonal fluctuation of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs levels in the ambient air of Upper Silesia in the aspect of human inhalation exposure as well as the estimation of health risk attributed to this exposure pathway to dioxins and dl-PCBs.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the study air samples were taken in five urban districts of Upper Silesia, Poland, where the houses are heated with coal. The same sampling points in summer and winter were analyzed for dioxins/furans and dl-PCBs. In addition, information was collected on awareness of the residents about the co-incineration of plastic waste and effects of this activity on human health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that the average daily exposure of residents of Upper Silesia to TCDD and DLCs in the heating season was about 6.5.-fold higher than in summer. The risk assessment showed that expected excess of cancer cases per 1,000,000 people ranged from 4.5 to 13.2 in winter and from 0.9 to 2.1 in summer. The practice of mixing waste with coal for houses heating has been confirmed by investigated families, who do not associate it with the possibility of negative health effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Air pollution can be a significant source of dioxin and dl-PCB for people during the winter season, as a result of co-burning coal and waste containing plastics. The dose of dioxins inhaled through the respiratory pathway in winter can be associated with the higher cancer risk in the population of Upper Silesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Risk Factors, School of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dziubanek
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchwińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom, Poland.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hajok
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piekut
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D003031:Coal; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010969:Plastics; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D003031:Coal; D004147:Dioxins; D010969:Plastics; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: air pollution; dioxins; exposure; health risk; inhalation; polychlorinated biphenyls