Scheepers P T J, Micka V, Muzyka V, Anzion R, Dahmann D, Poole J, Bos R P
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Toxicology-Pharmacology, UMC St Radboud, PO Box 9101, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Ann Occup Hyg. 2003 Jul;47(5):379-88. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/meg036.
A field study was conducted in two mines in order to determine the most suitable strategy for ambient exposure assessment in the framework of a European study aimed at validation of biological monitoring approaches for diesel exhaust (BIOMODEM). Exposure to dust and particle-associated 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) was studied in 20 miners of black coal by the long wall method (Czech Republic) and in 20 workers in oil shale mining by the room and pillar method (Estonia). The study in the oil shale mine was extended to include 100 workers in a second phase (main study). In each mine half of the study population worked underground as drivers of diesel-powered trains (black coal) and excavators (oil shale). The other half consisted of workers occupied in various non-diesel production assignments. Exposure to diesel exhaust was studied by measurement of inhalable and respirable dust at fixed locations and by personal air sampling of respirable dust. The ratio of geometric mean inhalable to respirable dust concentration was approximately two to one. The underground/surface ratio of respirable dust concentrations measured at fixed locations and in the breathing zones of the workers was 2-fold or greater. Respirable dust was 2- to 3-fold higher in the breathing zone than at fixed sampling locations. The 1-NP content in these dust fractions was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry and ranged from 0.003 to 42.2 ng/m(3) in the breathing zones of the workers. In mine dust no 1-NP was detected. In both mines 1-NP was observed to be primarily associated with respirable particles. The 1-NP concentrations were also higher underground than on the surface (2- to 3-fold in the coal mine and 10-fold or more in the oil shale mine). Concentrations of 1-NP in the breathing zones were also higher than at fixed sites (2.5-fold in the coal mine and 10-fold in the oil shale mine). For individual exposure assessment personal air sampling is preferred over air sampling at fixed sites. This study also suggests that particle-associated 1-NP much better reflects the ambient exposure to diesel exhaust particles than dust concentrations. Therefore, measurement of particle-associated 1-NP is preferred over measurement of dust concentrations by gravimetry, when linking ambient exposure to biomonitoring outcomes such as protein and DNA adducts and excretion of urinary metabolites of genotoxic substances.
为了在一项旨在验证柴油废气生物监测方法（BIOMODEM）的欧洲研究框架内确定环境暴露评估的最合适策略，在两座矿山开展了一项现场研究。通过长壁开采法（捷克共和国）对20名黑煤矿工以及通过房柱开采法（爱沙尼亚）对20名油页岩矿工进行了粉尘和颗粒相关1-硝基芘（1-NP）暴露情况的研究。油页岩矿的研究在第二阶段（主要研究）扩展至100名工人。在每个矿山，研究人群中有一半作为柴油动力火车司机（黑煤）和挖掘机司机（油页岩）在地下工作。另一半由从事各种非柴油生产任务的工人组成。通过在固定位置测量可吸入和可呼吸粉尘以及对可呼吸粉尘进行个人空气采样来研究柴油废气暴露情况。可吸入粉尘与可呼吸粉尘浓度的几何平均比值约为二比一。在固定位置和工人呼吸区测量的可呼吸粉尘浓度的地下/地面比值为2倍或更高。工人呼吸区的可呼吸粉尘比固定采样位置高2至3倍。通过气相色谱 - 质谱/质谱法测定这些粉尘组分中的1-NP含量，在工人呼吸区其范围为0.003至42.2 ng/m³。在矿尘中未检测到1-NP。在两座矿山均观察到1-NP主要与可呼吸颗粒相关。1-NP浓度在地下也高于地面（煤矿中为2至3倍，油页岩矿中为10倍或更高）。呼吸区的1-NP浓度也高于固定位点（煤矿中为2.5倍，油页岩矿中为10倍）。对于个体暴露评估，个人空气采样比在固定位点进行空气采样更可取。该研究还表明，与颗粒相关的1-NP比粉尘浓度能更好地反映柴油废气颗粒的环境暴露情况。因此，当将环境暴露与生物监测结果（如蛋白质和DNA加合物以及遗传毒性物质的尿代谢产物排泄）联系起来时，测量与颗粒相关的1-NP比通过重量法测量粉尘浓度更可取。
