Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Occupational and Environmental Medicine logoLink to Occupational and Environmental Medicine
. 1994 Aug;51(8):513–518. doi: 10.1136/oem.51.8.513

Exposure of iron foundry workers to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: benzo(a)pyrene-albumin adducts and 1-hydroxypyrene as biomarkers for exposure.

O Omland 1, D Sherson 1, A M Hansen 1, T Sigsgaard 1, H Autrup 1, E Overgaard 1
PMCID: PMC1128029  PMID: 7951774

Abstract

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in foundry workers has been evaluated by determination of benzo(a)pyrene-serum albumin adducts and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene. Benzo(a)pyrene binding to albumin and 1-hydroxypyrene were quantitatively measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. 70 male foundry workers and 68 matched controls were investigated. High and low exposure groups were defined from breathing zone hygienic samples, consisting of 16 PAH compounds in particulate and gaseous phase. Mean total PAH was 10.40 micrograms/m3 in the breathing zone, and mean dust adsorbed PAH was 0.15 microgram/m. All carcinogenic PAH was adsorbed to dust. Median benzo(a)pyrene-albumin adduct concentrations (10-90% percentiles) were similar in foundry workers (smokers 0.55 (0.27-1.00) and non-smokers 0.58 (0.17-1.15)) pmol/mg albumin and age matched controls (smokers 0.57 (0.16-1.45) and non-smokers 0.70 (0.19-1.55) pmol/mg albumin). Median 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in smoking and non-smoking foundry workers (0.022 (0.006-0.075) and 0.027 (0.006-0.164)) mumol/mol creatinine than in smoking and non-smoking controls (0 (0-0.022) and 0 (0-0.010) mumol/mol creatinine). Dose-response relations between total PAH, pyrene, carcinogenic PAHs, and 1-hydroxypyrene for smokers, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed to dust for non-smokers are suggested. Exposure to PAHs adsorbed to dust showed an additive effect. There was no correlation between the concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene and benzo(a)pyrene-albumin adducts. The change in 1-hydroxypyrene over a weekend was also studied. Friday morning median 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations were significantly higher in both smokers and non-smokers (0.021 (0-0.075) and 0.027 (0.06-0.164)) mumol/mol creatinine than Monday morning median concentrations (0.007 (0-0.021) and 0.008 (0-0.021) mumol/mol creatinine). Smoking did not affect the concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene or benzo(a)pyrene-albumin adducts. These data suggest that 1-hydroxypyrene is a sensitive biomarker for low dose PAH exposure. Exposure to PAHs may be aetiologically related to increased risk of lung cancer in foundry workers.

Full text

PDF
513

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Autrup J. L., Schmidt J., Seremet T., Autrup H. Determination of exposure to aflatoxins among Danish workers in animal-feed production through the analysis of aflatoxin B1 adducts to serum albumin. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1991 Dec;17(6):436–440. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.1683. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bartels H., Böhmer M. Eine Mikromethode zur Kreatininbestimmung. Clin Chim Acta. 1971 Mar;32(1):81–85. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(71)90467-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Becher H., Jedrychowski W., Flak E., Gomola K., Wahrendorf J. Lung cancer, smoking, and employment in foundries. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1989 Feb;15(1):38–42. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.1884. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Burgaz S., Borm P. J., Jongeneelen F. J. Evaluation of urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene and thioethers in workers exposed to bitumen fumes. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1992;63(6):397–401. doi: 10.1007/BF00386935. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Creasia D. A., Poggenburg J. K., Jr, Nettesheim P. Elution of benzo[alpha]pyrene from carbon particles in the respiratory tract of mice. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1976 Jul;1(6):967–975. doi: 10.1080/15287397609529398. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Ehrenberg L., Hiesche K. D., Osterman-Golkar S., Wenneberg I. Evaluation of genetic risks of alkylating agents: tissue doses in the mouse from air contaminated with ethylene oxide. Mutat Res. 1974 Aug;24(2):83–103. doi: 10.1016/0027-5107(74)90123-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fletcher A. C., Ades A. Lung cancer mortality in a cohort of English foundry workers. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1984 Feb;10(1):7–16. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2361. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hansen A. M., Olsen I. L., Holst E., Poulsen O. M. Validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection method for the simultaneous quantification of fifteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Ann Occup Hyg. 1991 Dec;35(6):603–611. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/35.6.603. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hansen A. M., Omland O., Poulsen O. M., Sherson D., Sigsgaard T., Christensen J. M., Overgaard E. Correlation between work process-related exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and urinary levels of alpha-naphthol, beta-naphthylamine and 1-hydroxypyrene in iron foundry workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1994;65(6):385–394. doi: 10.1007/BF00383249. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Herbert R., Marcus M., Wolff M. S., Perera F. P., Andrews L., Godbold J. H., Rivera M., Stefanidis M., Lu X. Q., Landrigan P. J. Detection of adducts of deoxyribonucleic acid in white blood cells of roofers by 32P-postlabeling. Relationship of adduct levels to measures of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1990 Apr;16(2):135–143. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.1806. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jongeneelen F. J., Anzion R. B., Theuws J. L., Bos R. P. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in workers handling petroleum coke. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1989;26(1):133–136. doi: 10.1080/15287398909531238. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Jongeneelen F. J., Bos R. P., Anzion R. B., Theuws J. L., Henderson P. T. Biological monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Metabolites in urine. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1986 Apr;12(2):137–143. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2166. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Jongeneelen F. J., Scheepers P. T., Groenendijk A., Van Aerts L. A., Anzion R. B., Bos R. P., Veenstra S. J. Airborne concentrations, skin contamination, and urinary metabolite excretion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among paving workers exposed to coal tar derived road tars. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1988 Dec;49(12):600–607. doi: 10.1080/15298668891380312. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Jongeneelen F. J., van Leeuwen F. E., Oosterink S., Anzion R. B., van der Loop F., Bos R. P., van Veen H. G. Ambient and biological monitoring of cokeoven workers: determinants of the internal dose of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Br J Ind Med. 1990 Jul;47(7):454–461. doi: 10.1136/oem.47.7.454. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Knecht U., Elliehausen H. J., Woitowitz H. J. Gaseous and adsorbed PAH in an iron foundry. Br J Ind Med. 1986 Dec;43(12):834–838. doi: 10.1136/oem.43.12.834. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lee B. M., Yin B. Y., Herbert R., Hemminki K., Perera F. P., Santella R. M. Immunologic measurement of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-albumin adducts in foundry workers and roofers. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1991 Jun;17(3):190–194. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.1711. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Palmer W. G., Scott W. D. Lung cancer in ferrous foundry workers: a review. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1981 May;42(5):329–340. doi: 10.1080/15298668191419848. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Perera F. P., Hemminki K., Young T. L., Brenner D., Kelly G., Santella R. M. Detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts in white blood cells of foundry workers. Cancer Res. 1988 Apr 15;48(8):2288–2291. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Sherson D., Sabro P., Sigsgaard T., Johansen F., Autrup H. Biological monitoring of foundry workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Br J Ind Med. 1990 Jul;47(7):448–453. doi: 10.1136/oem.47.7.448. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sherson D., Sigsgaard T., Overgaard E., Loft S., Poulsen H. E., Jongeneelen F. J. Interaction of smoking, uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and cytochrome P450IA2 activity among foundry workers. Br J Ind Med. 1992 Mar;49(3):197–202. doi: 10.1136/oem.49.3.197. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Sherson D., Svane O., Lynge E. Cancer incidence among foundry workers in Denmark. Arch Environ Health. 1991 Mar-Apr;46(2):75–81. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1991.9937432. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Silverstein M., Maizlish N., Park R., Silverstein B., Brodsky L., Mirer F. Mortality among ferrous foundry workers. Am J Ind Med. 1986;10(1):27–43. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700100105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Verma D. K., Muir D. C., Cunliffe S., Julian J. A., Vogt J. H., Rosenfeld J., Chovil A. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Ontario foundry environments. Ann Occup Hyg. 1982;25(1):17–25. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/25.1.17. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Wolff R. K., Bond J. A., Sun J. D., Henderson R. F., Harkema J. R., Griffith W. C., Mauderly J. L., McClellan R. O. Effects of adsorption of benzo[a]pyrene onto carbon black particles on levels of DNA adducts in lungs of rats exposed by inhalation. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1989 Feb;97(2):289–299. doi: 10.1016/0041-008x(89)90334-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Occupational and Environmental Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES