Open AccessAssessment of genotoxic exposure in Swedish coke-oven work by different methods of biological monitoring.
Author(s) -
Christina Reuterwall,
Leif Aringer,
Carl Gustaf Elinder,
Agneta Rannug,
Levin Jo,
Leif Juringe,
Agneta Önfelt
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of work, environment and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.621
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1795-990X
pISSN - 0355-3140
DOI - 10.5271/sjweh.1725
Subject(s) - coke oven , urine , chemistry , excretion , toxicology , sister chromatid exchange , thioether , carcinogen , pyrene , occupational exposure , coke , physiology , medicine , biochemistry , environmental health , biology , organic chemistry , in vitro
This study evaluated the results of several biological methods used simultaneously to monitor coke-oven work. Blood samples from 44 male coke-oven workers and 48 male referents, matched for age and smoking/snuff consumption, were examined for cytogenetic damage in lymphocytes. Urinary thioether excretion was determined for 62, and urine mutagenicity for 31, of the subjects, who followed a standardized diet during the urine sampling. Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons varied with work task, the ambient air levels of benzo[a]pyrene sometimes exceeding 5 micrograms/m3. Cytogenetic damage, urine mutagenicity, and thioether excretion did not differ between the groups. The smokers, however, had significantly higher sister chromatid exchange frequencies, urine mutagenicity, and thioether excretion than the nonsmokers. The absence of biological indications of genotoxic exposure was unexpected and indicates that the studied methods are not adequate to assess the carcinogenic risks of Swedish coke-oven workers.