Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Genotoxic Effects on Nonsmoking Swedish Road Pavement Workers

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Vol. 25; no. 2; pp. 131 - 136
• Main Authors: Jarvholm, Bengt, Nordstrom, Goran, Hogstedt, Benkt, Levin, Jan-Olof, Wahlstrom, Jan, Ostman, Conny, Bergendahl, Curt
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Helsinki Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health 01-04-1999; National Institute for Working Life; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; National Institute of Occupational Health (Denmark); National Institute of Occupational Health (Norway); Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health
• Subjects: Adult; Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis; Air Pollutants, Occupational - metabolism; Air sampling; Asphalt; Biological and medical sciences; Bitumens; Carcinogens - analysis; Carcinogens - metabolism; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Coal tar; Cross-Sectional Studies; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Excretion; Fumes; Gases; Humans; Hydrocarbons - analysis; Lymphocytes; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mutagenicity Tests; Mutagens - analysis; Mutagens - metabolism; Occupational Exposure - analysis; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - metabolism; Referents; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sweden; Toxicology; Transportation; Urine; Various organic compounds; Sweden; Europe; epidemiology; occupation; asphalt; micronuclei; sister chromatid exchanges; bitumen; Chromosomal aberration; Human; Micronucleus test; Mutagenicity testing; Toxicity; Road construction; Sister chromatid exchange; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Occupational exposure; Epidemiology; Bitumen; Construction industry; Carcinogen; Asphalt; DNA; Fumes; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.415

Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from asphalt fumes among Swedish road pavement workers and determine whether any effects could be detected with genotoxic tests. Methods The study included 28 nonsmoking road pavers and 30 nonsmoking referents. The concentration of PAH was determined in the breathing zone of the road pavers. 1-Hydroxypyrene was analyzed before and after shifts of asphalt work and during the afternoon for referents. Sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and micronuclei (MN) were determined in peripheral lymphocytes. Results Several 3-or 4-ring PAH were found, and the analysis indicated that they occurred in bitumen fumes rather than in traffic fumes. The average total concentration of PAH was 2.3 (range 0.2— 23.8) µg/m³. The concentration of 1-hydroxypyrene in urine was higher for the road pavers than for the referents, but there was no significant difference between the pre-and postshift values of the road pavers. The road pavers had no significant increase in SCE or MN. Conclusions The study showed that Swedish road pavers have an increased exposure to PAH from bitumen fumes, but no genotoxic effects could be detected by SCE or MN tests.