Inhalation and dermal exposure among asphalt paving workers

The primary objective of this study was to identify determinants of inhalation and dermal exposure to polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) among asphalt paving workers. The study population included three groups of highway construction workers: 20 asphalt paving workers, as well as 12 millers and 6 roadside construction workers who did not work with hot-mix asphalt. During multiple consecutive work shifts, personal air samples were collected from each worker's breathing zone using a Teflon filter and cassette holder connected in series with an XAD-2 sorbent tube, while dermal patch samples were collected from the underside of each worker's wrist. All exposure samples were analyzed for PACs, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene. Inhalation and dermal PAC exposures were highest among asphalt paving workers. Among paving workers, inhalation and dermal PAC exposures varied significantly by task, crew, recycled asphalt product (RAP) and work rate (inhalation only). Asphalt mix containing high RAP was associated with a 5-fold increase in inhalation PAC exposures and a 2-fold increase in dermal PAC exposure, compared with low RAP mix. The inhalation PAC exposures were consistent with the workers' proximity to the primary source of asphalt fume (paver operators > screedmen > rakers > roller operators), such that the adjusted mean exposures among paver operators (5.0 microg/m3, low RAP; 24 microg/m3, high RAP) were 12 times higher than among roller operators (0.4 microg/m3, low RAP; 2.0 microg/m3, high RAP). The dermal PAC exposures were consistent with the degree to which the workers have actual contact with asphalt-contaminated surfaces (rakers > screedmen > paver operators > roller operators), such that the adjusted mean exposures among rakers (175 ng/cm2, low RAP; 417 ng/cm2, high RAP) were approximately 6 times higher than among roller operators (27 ng/cm2, low RAP; 65 ng/cm2, high RAP). Paving task, RAP content and crew were also found to be significant determinants of inhalation and dermal exposure to pyrene. The effect of RAP content, as well as the fact that exposures were higher among paving workers than among millers and roadside construction workers, suggests that the PAC and pyrene exposures experienced by these paving workers were asphalt-related.