VanRooij J G, Bodelier-Bade M M, Jongeneelen F J
Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Br J Ind Med. 1993 Jul;50(7):623-32. doi: 10.1136/oem.50.7.623.
Twelve workers from a coke plant in The Netherlands participated in an intensive skin monitoring programme combined with personal air sampling and biological monitoring during five consecutive eight hour workshifts. The purpose of the study was to make a quantitative assessment of both the dermal and respiratory intake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Pyrene was used as a marker compound for both dermal and respiratory exposure to PAHs. The biological measure for the internal exposure to PAHs was urinary 1-OH-pyrene concentration. Measurements on exposure pads at six skin sites showed that mean total skin contamination of the 12 workers ranged between 21 and 166 micrograms pyrene a day. The dermal uptake of pyrene ranged between 4 and 34 micrograms/day, which was about 20% of the pyrene contamination on skin. The mean concentration of total pyrene in the breathing zone air of the 12 coke oven workers ranged from 0.1 to 5.4 micrograms/m3. The mean respiratory uptake of pyrene varied between 0.5 and 32.2 micrograms/day. Based on the estimates of the dermal and respiratory pyrene uptake it is concluded that an average 75% (range 28%-95%, n = 12) of the total absorbed amount of pyrene enters the body through the skin. Because of the difference in the pyrene:benzo(a)pyrene ratio between the air samples and the skin contamination samples, the dermal uptake of benzo(a)pyrene was also estimated. This was about 51% of the total absorbed amount (range 8%-92%, n = 12). The total excreted amount of urinary 1-OH-pyrene as a result of exposure to PAHs during the five consecutive workshifts varied between 36 and 239 nmol. A multiple regression model of the mass balance between pyrene dose (both dermal and respiratory) and 1-OH-pyrene excretion confirmed the relevance of the dermal exposure route. The variation in urinary 1-OH-pyrene excretion was determined more by the dermal pyrene dose than by the respiratory dose. The model showed an estimate of the percentage of the absorbed amount of pyrene that is metabolised and excreted as 1-OH-pyrene in urine. For the 12 workers this percentage varied between 13% and 49% depending on smoking habits and consumption of alcohol. The results of this study indicate that among coke oven workers, the skin is the main route of uptake of PAHs. Preventive measures to reduce exposure to PAHs should be focused more on the reduction of dermal contamination by PAHs than on the reduction of inhaled dose.
来自荷兰一家炼焦厂的12名工人连续参加了一项密集的皮肤监测计划，该计划结合了个人空气采样和生物监测，为期五个连续的八小时轮班。该研究的目的是对多环芳烃（PAHs）的皮肤和呼吸道摄入量进行定量评估。芘被用作PAHs皮肤和呼吸道暴露的标志物化合物。PAHs体内暴露的生物学指标是尿中1-羟基芘浓度。对六个皮肤部位的暴露垫进行测量，结果显示，12名工人的平均皮肤总污染量为每天21至166微克芘。芘的皮肤摄入量在4至34微克/天之间，约占皮肤芘污染量的20%。12名炼焦炉工人呼吸带空气中芘的平均总浓度在0.1至5.4微克/立方米之间。芘的平均呼吸道摄入量在0.5至32.2微克/天之间。根据芘皮肤和呼吸道摄入量的估计结果得出结论，芘总吸收量的平均75%（范围为28%-95%，n = 12）通过皮肤进入人体。由于空气样本和皮肤污染样本中芘与苯并(a)芘的比例不同，还对苯并(a)芘的皮肤摄入量进行了估计。这约占总吸收量的51%（范围为8%-92%，n = 12）。在连续五个轮班期间，由于暴露于PAHs，尿中1-羟基芘的总排泄量在36至239纳摩尔之间。芘剂量（皮肤和呼吸道）与1-羟基芘排泄量之间质量平衡的多元回归模型证实了皮肤暴露途径的相关性。尿中1-羟基芘排泄量的变化更多地取决于芘的皮肤剂量而非呼吸道剂量。该模型显示了芘吸收量中作为1-羟基芘在尿液中代谢和排泄的百分比估计值。对于这12名工人，该百分比在13%至49%之间，具体取决于吸烟习惯和酒精摄入量。本研究结果表明，在炼焦炉工人中，皮肤是PAHs的主要摄入途径。减少PAHs暴露的预防措施应更多地侧重于减少PAHs的皮肤污染，而不是减少吸入剂量。
