Genotoxic exposures of potroom workers

Objectives Potroom workers in aluminum reduction plants have increased risk s for bladder and lung cancer due to exposure from polycyclic aromatic hydr ocarbons (PAH). In this study correlations between measures of the external , internal, and biological effective dose have been studied for PAH. Methods Venous blood samples were obtained from 98 male potroom workers and 55 unexposed male blue-collar workers, for the analysis of aromatic adduct s to DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in lymphocytes, using the P-32-postlabelin g technique. 1-Hydroxypyrene in urine was analyzed with high-pressure liqui d chromatography. Personal sampling of both particulate and gas phase PAH w as performed during a full workday for the potroom workers and for 5 refere nts. Individual PAH congeners were determined with liquid chromatographic-m ass spectrometric and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric techniques. Results The respiratory-zone airborne level of the sum of 22 particulate (m edian 13.2 mu g/m(3)) and the 7 gas phase PAH-congeners (median 16.3 mu g/m (3)) among the potroom workers was a hundred times higher than among the re ferents. The urinary concentration of 1-hydroxypyrene before work was 30 ti mes higher for the potroom workers (median 3.43 mu mol/mol creatinine) than for the referents. Most airborne PAH congeners correlated with the excreti on of 1-hydroxypyrene in urine. The frequency of aromatic DNA adducts did n ot, however, differ between the potroom workers and the referents. and no c orrelation was found for 1-hydroxypyrene in urine. Conclusions Despite an obvious occupational exposure to PAH, no increase in aromatic DNA adducts in lymphocytes was found among the potroom workers.