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Biological markers in PAH exposed workers and controls
P Van Hummelen1, J P Gennart, J P Buchet
1Laboratory of Human Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Mutation Research
|August 1, 1993
Summary
Coke oven workers showed significant cytogenetic damage from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure, unlike graphite electrode workers. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and high-frequency interphase cells (HFC) were more sensitive biomarkers than micronuclei (MN) for PAH exposure.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Toxicology
- Biomonitoring
Background:
- Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a concern in industries like graphite electrode production and coking.
- PAHs are known genotoxic agents, necessitating evaluation of their impact on worker health through cytogenetic markers.
- Understanding the sensitivity of different biomarkers is crucial for effective biomonitoring of PAH exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare PAH exposure levels and associated cytogenetic effects in workers from graphite electrode plants and coke ovens.
- To evaluate the sensitivity of sister chromatid exchange (SCE), high-frequency interphase cells (HFC), and micronuclei (MN) as biomarkers for PAH exposure.
- To assess the influence of smoking on cytogenetic damage in exposed workers.
Main Methods:
- Air sampling to measure 13 different PAHs in the work environment.
- Urinary hydroxypyrene concentration analysis as a biomarker of PAH absorption.
- Assessment of cytogenetic aberrations (SCE, HFC, MN) in lymphocytes.
- Evaluation of smoking habits using urinary thiocyanate and questionnaires.
Main Results:
- Graphite electrode plant workers exhibited the highest PAH levels in the air and urine.
- Coke oven workers, despite lower exposure, showed statistically significant increases in SCE and HFC, correlating with airborne PAH and urinary hydroxypyrene.
- No significant effect of smoking on cytogenetic markers was observed; SCE and HFC were more sensitive than MN for detecting PAH exposure.
Conclusions:
- SCE and HFC are more sensitive biomarkers than MN for biomonitoring occupational exposure to PAHs.
- Coke oven workers demonstrated a clear link between PAH exposure and cytogenetic damage, highlighting the genotoxic risk.
- Further research is needed to confirm MN or SCE as the optimal biomarker for cancer risk assessment and to definitively link observed cytogenetic effects to PAH exposure.