Airborne concentrations, skin contamination, and urinary metabolite excretion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among paving workers exposed to coal tar derived road tars

Abstract

The exposure of surface dressing workers to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was studied. Four different paving sites, at which coal tar-containing binders were applied, were selected as work sites with high exposure levels of PAH. Breathing zone airborne particulates, contamination of the skin with PAH, and 1-hydroxypyrene in urine of the workers involved in chip sealing were determined. Substantial concentrations of cyclohexane-soluble airborne particulate matter were found (GM = 0.2 mg/m3, n = 28). Skin contamination was determined using two different methods: with exposure pads and by hand washing. Pads were mounted on several parts of the body: wrist, elbow, neck, shoulder, and ankle. The pads located on the wrist appeared to be the most contaminated (pyrene: GM = 22 ng/1.77 cm2, n = 40). The end-of-shift hand washing showed that the hands of the workers were contaminated with PAH (pyrene: GM = 70 micrograms, n = 35). Preshift hand washing showed far lower, but detectable, quantities of PAH on workers' hands (pyrene: GM = 5 micrograms, n = 35). Enhanced levels of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene among the workers were found. The highest levels were found in the end-of-shift urine samples. Correlations between the pyrene exposure variables were studied. Significant positive correlations were found between pyrene on the wrist pad versus end-of-shift urinary 1-hydroxypyrene; between pyrene on the hands versus end-of-shift urinary 1-hydroxypyrene; and between the two different skin contamination variables.