Monitoring human exposure to carcinogens

Hemminki K, Vainio H. 1984. Human exposure to potentially carcinogenic compoimds. In Monitoring human exposure to carcinogenic and mutagenic agents. Proceedings of a joint symposium held in Espoo, Finland, December 12-15, 1983. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. lARC Scientific Publications No. 59. 

Lohman, P.H., Lauwerys, R., and Sorsa, M., Methods of Monitoring Human Exposure to Carcinogenic and Mutagenic Agents , in Monitoring Human Exposure... 

Poirier, M. C. Monitoring Human Exposure to Carcinogens Analytical and Ethical Considerations Skipper, P. L., Koshier, F., Groopman, J. D., Eds. Telford Press Caldwell, in press, 1989. 

Santella, R. M. Monitoring human exposure to carcinogens by DNA adduct measurement. Cell Biol Toxicol, 4 511-6. 1988. 

Harris, C. C (1985) Future direcuons in the use of DNA adducts as internal dosimeters for monitoring human exposure to environmental mutagens and carcinogens. Env Health Pers 62, 185-191... 

The need for improved sampling and analytical techniques for monitoring employee exposure extends to substances other than the trace metals. The "no detectable limit philosophy for occupational exposure to carcinogens dates back to the 1974 situation with vinyl chloride in which NIOSH recommended that airborne concentrations be reduced "to levels not detectable by the recommended method (1 ppm) (16). Very low maximum permissible exposure levels are likely to be recommended in the future for substances which are determined to be potential human carcinogens. 

For assessing the risks of chemicals, the approach is similar to that used with radiation in those cases where human data are available, but the data are rarely as complete as with radiation. Furthermore, estimation of the dose is usually more difficult with chemicals because of the lack of good monitoring data and other sources of uncertainty (see Section 5). For example, the dose is not usually well quantified even at levels of exposure where carcinogenic effects are conspicuous. 

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