Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons occupational exposure

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been classified as human carcinogens because they induce cancers in experimental animals and because smoking and exposure to mixtures of chemicals containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the workplace increase the risk of lung cancer in exposed individuals. In experimental animals, benzo(a)pyrene induces cancer in different organs depending on the route of administration.Furthermore, exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons commonly occurs in occupations related to traffic (use of diesel engines in transportation and railways). 

A wide variety of xenobiotics, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or dioxins, are analyzed in human body fluids for the investigation of environmental and occupational exposure. 

The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment is of obvious concern and, apart from specific occupational environments, human exposure to these compounds derives from combustion products released into the atmosphere. Estimates of the total annual benzo[aJpyrene emissions in the United States range from 900 tons (19) to about 1300 tons (20). These totals are derived from heat and power generation (37-38%), open-refuse burning (42-46%), coke production (15-19%) and motor vehicle emissions (1-1.5%) (19,20). Since the vast majority of these emissions are from stationary sources, local levels of air pollution obviously vary. Benzo[aJpyrene levels of less than 1 pg/1,000 m correspond to clean air (20). At this level, it can be estimated that the average person would inhale about 0.02 pg of benzo[aJpyrene per day, and this could increase to 1.5 pg/day in polluted air (21). 

Air quality is important from both a health and a safety perspective. In the USA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration set limits of exposure to over 2000 different chemicals or classes of respiratory irritants [11, 12], Many of the compounds that are monitored indoors are of similar interest to outdoor assessment, such as in the atmosphere and stratosphere. VOCs emitted from industrial operations are continuously monitored as required by US and local Environmental Protection Agencies. Power plants and waste incinerators are required to follow emission guidelines for harmful combustion gases, including CO and NO, as well as other combustion by-products, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, and hy-... 

Viau, C., G. Hakizimana, and M. Bouchard. 2000. Indoor exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in traditional houses in Burundi. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 73(5) 331-338. 

Cordier, S., Lefeuvre, B., Filippini, G., Peris-Bonet, R., Farinotti, M., Lovicu, G., Mandereau, L. (1997b). Parental occupation, occupational exposure to solvents and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and risk of childhood brain tumors (Italy, France, Spain). Cancer Causes Control 8 688-97. 

Benz [a] anthracene alone is not regulated however, all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or volatile coal tar products together are regulated. The World Health Organization has established 0.2 pgH as the limit for aromatic hydrocarbons in a domestic water supply. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration limit in workplace air (coal tar volatiles) is 0.2 mg m The US Environmental Protection Agency weight-of-evidence classification for benz [a] anthracene is B2, a probable human carcinogen, for both oral and inhalation exposure based on adequate animal evidence and no human evidence. 

Petty T, Schmid P, and Schlatter C (1996) The use of toxic equivalency factors in assessing occupational and environmental health science associated with exposure to air borne mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Chemosphere 32 639-648. 

Boffetta P, Jourenkova N, Gustavsson P Cancer risk from occupational and environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Cancer Causes Control 1997 8 444-72. 

Becher G, Bjorseth A. 1985. A novel method for the determination of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by analysis of body fluids. In Cooke M, Dennis AJ, eds. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons Mechanisms, methods and metabolism. Columbus, OH ... 

Dufresne A, Lesage J, Perrault G. 1987. Evaluation of occupational exposure to mixed dusts and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in silicon carbide plants. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 48(2) 160-166. 

Ovrebo S, Haugen A, Fjeldstad PE, et al. 1994. Biological monitoring of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in an electrode paste plant. J Occup Med 36(3) 303-310. 

Tolos WP, Shaw PB, Lowry LK, et al. 1990. 1-Pyrenol A boomerang for occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Appl Occup Environ Hyg 5(5) 303-309. 

Clonfero E, Jongeneelen F, Zordan M, et al. 1990. Biological monitoring of human exposure to coal tar. Urinary mutagenicity assays and analytical determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites in urine. Institute of Occupational Health, University of Padua, Italy. IARC Sci Publ (104) 215-222. 

Jongeneelen FJ, Anzion RB, Leijdekkers Ch. M. 1988. 1-Hydroxypyrene in human urine as a biological indicator of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in several work environments. Ann Occup Hyg 32 34-43. 

Rogaczewska T, Ligocka D. 1991. Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (coal tar pitch volatiles) and benzo(a)pyrene in tyre production. Sci Total Environ 101 171. 

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