BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the products of incomplete combustion or pyrolysis of various organic materials. Their ubiquity in the environment leads to measurable levels of exposure. However, the exposure varies strongly between different regions in Europe. Some PAHs with four or more rings are suspected to be human carcinogens. Therefore, the occupational and/or environmental exposure to PAHs may cause a significant health risk. The aim of investigation is to evaluate current levels of PAH exposure in defined groups of workers. METHODS: The industrial sites selected in this survey involved PAHs originating from coal tar pitch, carbon black, bitumen and rubber fumes. Based on the historical data, the sites were expected to exhibit quantifiable levels of exposure to PAHs. The total study population consisted of 139 persons: 108 (85 male and 23 female) workers were occupationally exposed in aluminum production, the production of graphite electrodes, road construction, or the rubber forming industry and 28 control individuals in two groups. RESULTS: The total 8 h time-weighted average (TWA) levels (sum of 16 components according to the EPA list) ranged from 0.2 to 773.7 µg.m(-3) (mean 26.7 µg.m(-3); 95th percentile 123.3 µg.m(-3)). The highest concentrations, as expected, were found in the aluminum production plant and production of graphite electrodes. The lowest concentrations were found in personal air samples of road construction workers. The concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene as a pyrene metabolite in the urine of the exposed group of workers were found in levels between 0.11-1.26 µmol.mol(-1) creatinine before the exposure, and in the levels between 0.12-4.25 µmol.mol(-1) creatinine after the exposure 1-OHP concentrations in post-shift urine samples were highly correlated with the total airborne PAHs concentrations and pyrene concentrations in air. The correlation coefficients (r) between 1-OHP concentration and pyrene or total PAHs in air were 0.710 and 0.752 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This statistical analysis confirmed the effect of the occupational exposure to PAHs and pyrene on the body burden of workers. However, a modifying effect of sex, smoking habits, dietary intake, genetically modified metabolism, and the use of medication on the toxikokinetics of pyrene was not determined as significant.

• MeSH
• biologické markery analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch v pracovním prostředí analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• pracovní expozice analýza   MeSH
• průmysl MeSH
• pyreny analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

The activities of the kraft pulp-mill in Ružomberok have great impact on ambient air quality in the town and the neighboring villages. The malodorous sulfur compounds adversely contribute to the overall emission profile. The reduced sulfur proportion forms the inorganic and organic compounds containing sulfur atoms in their lowest oxidation condition (S2-). The total sulfur proportion reduced includes hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide and other sulfur compounds. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) — as mentioned above — is of prime importance. The kraft pulp-mill has measured of hydrogen sulfide contained in ambient air since 2002. The environmental samples were collected in 7 localities in all their selection based on the geographic, climatic and demographic factors. Four exposure localities in the Ružomberok neighborhood, have been defined by the specified criteria. Exposure assessment was made for each exposure locality by determination of the average daily inhalation dose. The average concentration of H2S reached 5.8 µg.m-3 in the most polluted locality (Černová, 2003). To complete the health risk assessment, the standard risk characterization procedure was made by the Hazard Quotient (HQ) calculation for hydrogen sulfide exposure. The highest level of HQ, almost 7, was identified in the event of a worst case exposure scenario (using the 95% concentrations), as for exposure group C. Statistically significant decrease of reported H2S levels was noted during the entire measurement period (-0.25/year, p<0.001).

• MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• podnebí MeSH
• socioekonomické faktory MeSH
• sulfan analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí analýza   MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

• MeSH
• chemické znečištění vody prevence a kontrola   statistika a číselné údaje   škodlivé účinky   zákonodárství a právo   MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• látky znečišťující vodu * analýza   klasifikace   normy   škodlivé účinky   toxicita   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ochrana veřejného zdraví MeSH
• pitná voda * analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• prahové limitní hodnoty MeSH
• zásobování vodou MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

• MeSH
• hodnotící studie jako téma MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch v pracovním prostředí * analýza   klasifikace   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   klasifikace   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   normy   přístrojové vybavení   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• prach analýza   MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• statistika jako téma MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH