Förster K, Preuss R, Rossbach B, Brüning T, Angerer J, Simon P
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social- and Environmental Medicine, Schillerstrasse 25/29, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Occup Environ Med. 2008 Apr;65(4):224-9. doi: 10.1136/oem.2006.030809. Epub 2007 Apr 20.
This study was conducted to assess external and internal exposure of workers to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this context, the analytical and diagnostical reliability of 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3OH-BaP) as a biomarker of internal exposure to PAHs was established.
Ambient and biological monitoring was carried out of 225 PAH-exposed employees of different industries. External exposure was determined by personal air sampling and analysis of 16 EPA-PAH. Internal exposure was examined by the urinary metabolites 3OH-BaP, 1-hydroxypyrene (OH-Pyr) and monohydroxylated phenanthrenes (OH-Phens).
Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) was detected at all workplaces. Concentrations in the breathing zone of the workers ranged from below the limit of detection up to 44.3 mug/m(3). In biological monitoring, urinary 3OH-BaP was found in median concentrations of 0.8 ng/g creatinine (crea) and the 95th percentile of 6.7 ng/g crea. The results ranged from the limit of detection up to 19.5 ng/g crea. Only 1% of the analysed samples showed concentrations below the limit of detection (0.05 ng/l). Regarding median concentrations, workers in coking plants showed lower 3OH-BaP concentrations (0.5 ng/g crea) than those employed in the production of fireproof material in refractories (1.1 ng/g crea), converter infeed (1.2 ng/g crea) and graphite electrode production (1.3 ng/g crea). Strong correlations of 3OH-BaP with OH-Pyr and the sum of OH-Phens were found for the workplaces converter infeed, coking plants and graphite electrode production (r(Pearson) ranging from 0.618 to 0.867, p<0.001). The poor correlation of BaP in the air and 3OH-BaP in urine is most probably caused by routes of uptake other than via air-for example, dermal uptake.
3OH-BaP as a metabolite of the carcinogenic BaP could be shown to be a diagnostically specific and sensitive biomarker for determining the internal exposure of workers in different industries. Using this method, the estimation of health risks for workers can be fundamentally improved, because the 3OH-BaP represents the group of carcinogenic PAHs. The procedure for analysing 3OH-BaP is complex, but it is robust and produces reliable results.
本研究旨在评估工人对多环芳烃（PAHs）的外部和内部暴露情况。在此背景下，确立了3-羟基苯并[a]芘（3OH-BaP）作为PAHs内部暴露生物标志物的分析和诊断可靠性。
对225名不同行业接触PAH的员工进行了环境和生物监测。通过个人空气采样和16种美国环保署（EPA）多环芳烃的分析来确定外部暴露。通过尿液代谢物3OH-BaP、1-羟基芘（OH-Pyr）和单羟基菲（OH-Phens）来检测内部暴露。
在所有工作场所均检测到苯并[a]芘（BaP）。工人呼吸带中的浓度范围从低于检测限到44.3微克/立方米。在生物监测中，尿液中3OH-BaP的中位数浓度为0.8纳克/克肌酐（crea），第95百分位数为6.7纳克/克crea。结果范围从检测限到19.5纳克/克crea。仅1%的分析样本显示浓度低于检测限（0.05纳克/升）。关于中位数浓度，炼焦厂工人的3OH-BaP浓度（0.5纳克/克crea）低于耐火材料防火材料生产（1.1纳克/克crea）、转炉进料（1.2纳克/克crea）和石墨电极生产（1.3纳克/克crea）行业的工人。在转炉进料、炼焦厂和石墨电极生产工作场所发现3OH-BaP与OH-Pyr以及OH-Phens总和之间存在强相关性（Pearson相关系数r范围为0.618至0.867，p<0.001）。空气中BaP与尿液中3OH-BaP的相关性较差，很可能是由于除空气之外的其他摄取途径，例如皮肤摄取。
3OH-BaP作为致癌性BaP的代谢物，可被证明是确定不同行业工人内部暴露的诊断特异性和敏感生物标志物。使用这种方法，可以从根本上改进对工人健康风险的评估，因为3OH-BaP代表致癌性多环芳烃组。分析3OH-BaP的程序很复杂，但它很稳健且能产生可靠的结果。
