Evaluation of Exposure to PAHs in Asphalt Workers by Environmental and Biological Monitoring

Abstract

In the present article we assessed exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Italian asphalt workers (AW, n = 100), exposed to bitumen fumes and diesel exhausts, and in roadside construction workers (CW, n = 47), exposed to diesel exhausts, by means of environmental and biological monitoring. 1-hydroxypyrene (OH-Py) was determined in urine spot samples collected, respectively, after 2 days of vacation (baseline), before, and at the end of the monitored work shift, in the second part of the workweek. Median airborne levels during the work shift of 15 PAHs (both vapor and particulate phases), from naphthalene (NAP) to indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, ranged from below 0.03 to 426 ng/m(3). Median excretion values of OH-Py in baseline, before- and end-shift samples were 228, 402, and 690 ng/L for AW and 260, 304, and 378 ng/L for CW. Lower values were found in nonsmokers compared to smokers (e.g., in AW 565 and 781 versus 252 and 506 ng/L in before-shift and end-shift samples, respectively). In all subjects a weak correlation between personal exposure to the sum of airborne 15 PAHs and OH-Py was observed (r = 0.30). The results of this article show that AW experienced a moderate occupational exposure to airborne PAHs, resulting in a significant increase of urinary OH-Py during the workday and the workweek. The contribution of working activities to internal dose was in the same order of magnitude of the contribution of cigarette smoking.

Unmetabolized Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Urine as Biomarkers of Low Exposure in Asphalt Workers

“…Results of urinary OH-Py, already reported in a previous article, (21) values of OH-Py in baseline, before-and end-shift samples were 228, 402, and 690 ng/L for AW (p < 0.01) and 260, 304, and 378 ng/L for CW. Before-and end-shift levels were higher in AW than in CW (p < 0.05).…”

“…(20,21) The partitioning of PAHs was such that 99% was detected in the vapor phase (low-boiling compounds) and 1% in the particulate phase (high-boiling compounds). A-NAP was the most abundant compound (median value 426 and 371 ng/m 3 , contributing for 82% and 94% to the total amount, in AW and CW, respectively), followed by A-PHE (52 and 14 ng/m 3 , 7% and 2%, p < 0.01), A-FLE (34 and 9 ng/m 3 , 5% and 2 %, p < 0.01), A-PYR (26 and 1 ng/m 3 , 3% and <1 %, p < 0.01), A-ACE (9 and 2 ng/m 3 , 1% and <1 %, p < 0.01), A-FLT (2.8 and 1.3 ng/m 3 , <1% in both cases, p < 0.01), and A-ANT (0.7 and 0.4 ng/m 3 , <1% in both cases, p < 0.01).…”

“…(20,21) Altogether 147 male subjects participated: 100 AW (56 non-smokers, 44 smokers), exposed to bitumen fumes during laying or production of concrete asphalt mix and a reference group of 47 CW (17 non-smokers, 30 smokers), employed in ground construction and not working with hot-mix asphalt. Both groups were exposed to vehicle exhausts emitted from diesel powered working machines and occasionally from the surrounding vehicular movement.…”

“…(21) Analyses were performed at the time of samples collection. The value of creatinine, determined in each sample using Jaffe's colorimetric method, was used to assure the validity of the samples, checking urine for excessive physiologic dilution or concentration and excluding samples outside the acceptable range (0.3 g/l ≤ creatinine ≤ 3.0 g/l).…”

The Humoral Immune Response of Mice Exposed to Simulated Road Paving-Like Asphalt Fumes

“…The major route of occupational exposure to asphalt is by inhalation, but its components may also be absorbed through the skin (Wolff et al, 1989). Epidemiological investigations have established mounting evidence that chemicals found in asphalt fumes present carcinogenic and possibly immunotoxic hazards (Campo et al, 2006). Exposure to asphalt fumes has been suggested as a cause of lung cancer, and other studies have reported cancers of the digestive tract, stomach (Maizlish et al, 1988;Hansen, 1989Hansen, , 1991Engholm et al, 1991;Partanen and Boofetta, 1994) and the urinary system (Bender et al, 1989;Hansen, 1989) such as bronchitis, emphysema and asthma identified in asphalt workers suggests that asphalt fumes contain immunotoxic compounds (Maizlish et al, 1988;Hansen, 1991;Norseth et al, 1991;Gamble et al, 1999).…”