BENZO(A)PYRENE-ALBUMIN ADDUCTS IN HUMANS EXPOSED TO POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN AN INDUSTRIAL-AREA OF POLAND

Objectives-The interaction of benzo(a)pyrene with serum albumin was me asured in an attempt to identify the actual exposure and to evaluate a lbumin adduct measurements as biomarkers for exposure monitoring. Meth ods-Benzo(a)pyrene-diol-epoxide (BPDE)-albumin adducts were measured b y competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in plasma of c oke oven plant workers from three plants and from people living in a h ighly industrialised area of Silesia in Poland. Due to the high air co ncentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in this area, a control group was selected from a rural non-industrialised area in P oland. Breathing zone air measurements of PAHs were collected from som e of the participants. Results-Coke oven plant workers and non-occupat ionally exposed people had similar concentrations of albumin adducts w hereas the rural controls were significantly lower (2.74 fmol adducts/ mu g albumin (SEM 0.124)). The mean concentration of BPDE-albumin addu ct in plasma of both the occupational and the environmental groups wer e significantly higher in the summer samples (4.34 fmol adducts/mu g a lbumin (SEM 0.335) and 4.55 fmol adducts/mu g albumin (SEM 0.296), res pectively) than in the winter samples (3.06 fmol adducts/mu g albumin (SEM 0.187) and 3.04 fmol adducts/mu g albumin (SEM 0.184), respective ly) even though the air measurements showed higher concentrations of P AHs in the winter. The statistical analysis did not show any effects o f air exposures on concentrations of BPDE-albumin adduct. Conclusions- A multiple regression analysis of the measured concentrations of BPDE- albumin adducts for all the groups, during both seasons, indicates tha t occupational exposures do not contribute significantly to the format ion of adducts. In general, the concentrations of albumin adducts foun d vary within relatively small limits for the two seasons and between the various groups of participants. No extreme differences were found.