Serum organochlorines and urinary porphyrin pattern in a population highly exposed to hexachlorobenzene

Abstract

BackgroundPorphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is caused by hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in several species of laboratory mammals, but the human evidence is contradictory. In a study among adults of a population highly exposed to HCB (Flix, Catalonia, Spain), the prevalence of PCT was not increased. We aimed at analysing the association of individual urinary porphyrins with the serum concentrations of HCB and other organochlorine compounds in this highly exposed population.MethodsA cross-sectional study on total porphyrins was carried out in 1994 on 604 inhabitants of the general population of Flix, older than 14 years. Of them, 241 subjects (comprising a random sample and the subgroup with the highest exposure) were included for the present study. The porphyrin profile was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Serum concentrations of HCB, as well as common organochlorine compounds, were determined by gas chromatography coupled to electron capture detection.ResultsCoproporphyrin I (CPI) and coproporphyrin III (CPIII) were the major porphyrins excreted, while uroporphyrins I and III were only detected in 2% and 36% of the subjects respectively, and heptaporphyrins I and III in 1% and 6%, respectively. CPI and CPIII decreased with increasing HCB concentrations (p < 0.05). This negative association was not explained by age, alcohol, smoking, or other organochlorine compounds. No association was found between uroporphyrin I and III excretion, nor heptaporphyrin excretion, and HCB. CPIII increased with smoking (p < 0.05).ConclusionHCB exposure in this highly exposed population did not increase urinary concentrations of individual porphyrins.

Prevalence of Acute Symptoms among Workers in Printing Factories

“…This finding was also supported by Vermeulen et al [19], who focused on respiratory symptoms due to occupational exposures in a contemporary general population cohort. For industries with statistically significant associations with bronchitis and/or asthma symptoms ( P < 0.10), the regression analyses were repeated based on the total occupational histories with the inclusion of time-related variables, such as duration and time since first employment.…”

“…The finding for allergic skin reaction in this study was similar to Livesley et al [18], who studied symptoms among printers in the UK printing industry—itching (61%), rash (58%), and dry skin (56%). In addition, a relation was found between working in the printing industry and bronchitis-like symptoms, and although exposure to irritative solvents and paper dust may occur, it is unclear what the main risk factors are within this particular industry (Vermeulen et al [19]). Nethercott and Nosal [20] found that being an offset lithographic printing operator was related to adverse cutaneous effects, with 67% of operators having allergic contact dermatitis and 29% being caused by ultraviolet (UV) cured ink components.…”

Spot urine porphyrins/creatinine ratio profile of healthy Brazilian individuals adjusted for personal habits

“…Urinary porphyrins and their homologues were analyzed by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) protocol adapted from the method described by Sunyer et al (6), and published by Alves et al (26) as described below. Chemicals used for buffered phase preparation were of analytical grade.…”

“…These conditions have been observed after exposure to chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (5), hexachlorobenzene (6), pentachlorophenol (1,7), and dioxins (8) and heavy metals such as arsenic (9,10), Hg (3), and Pb (11). They can also occur in individuals infected by some viruses such as HBV (12), HCV (12)(13)(14), and HIV (15,16) or exposed to illicit or therapeutic drugs like alcohol (17), to prolonged therapeutic use of estrogens (18) and to iron overload (13), and as adverse effects of drugs like anticonvulsants (19) and anesthetics (20).…”

Validação de metodologia para dosagem de porfirinas urinárias por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência

“…A metodologia selecionada foi adaptada do método proposto por Sunyer et al (2002) O limite de detecção (LOD) é a menor concentração da substância em análise que o processo analítico pode diferenciar, relacionado à linha de base do detector cromatográfico (Brasil, Ministério da Saúde, 2003;Chasin, Chasin, Salvadori, 1994). Baseado neste conceito, o LOD foi calculado pela concentração que equivaleria a uma área de 500 na análise cromatográfica, conforme o programa fixado para esta análise.…”