Detection of 1-hydroxypyrene in urine of a coke plant workers

Summary

Biomonitoring of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) in the biological material was undertaken with the aim of a comprehensive assessment of exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in coke plant workers. Concentration of this substance in urine provides the general information on the assessment of exposure of PAH because it reflects the overal load of the organism. 279 workers were included into the monitoring presuming PAH exposure in average age of 42 ± 10 years. Respondents have been working in shops producing coke (shops PI and PII) and the shop manufacturing coke gas (shop PIII). Results of 1-HP calculated to the amount of creatinine in urine exceeded the limit value proposed in the Czech Republic – 1.95 μmol . mol^-1 (3.76 μg . g^-1) of creatinine in 77 workers in the studied sample (42 workers from PI, 31 workers from PII and 4 workers from PIII). The mean values of the 1-HP concentration were 3.50 ± 0.44 μmol . mol^-1 of creatinine in workers from PI, 2.31 ± 0.31 μmol . mol^-1 of creatinine in workers from PII and 0.46 ± 0.08 μmol . mol^-1 of creatinine in workers from PIII. The highest concentrations were found in workers working topside and bench side of PI and PII shops, with maximum of 22.17 ± 17 μmol . mol^-1 of creatinine. Monitoring of 1-HP concentrations in urine of workers exposed to PAH is justified from the perspective of health protection of coke plant workers and serves as the background for selection of professions for objectivization of working environment in particular shops.

Key words:
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAH, coke plant, creatinine, 1-hydroxypyrene, biological monitoring, biomarker