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Current external and internal exposure to naphthalene of workers occupationally exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different industries

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Abstract

Objectives: External and internal exposure to naphthalene was examined in the most important industries that are typically concerned with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-induced diseases (cancer). Furthermore, a control collective from the general population was investigated. Methods: External naphthalene was determined by personal air sampling (n=205). The internal exposure was examined by urinary metabolites 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol (n=277). Results: Highest median concentrations of naphthalene in air were found in converter infeed (93.2 μg/m3) and coal-tar distillation (35.8 μg/m3). Moderate and low levels were determined in coking plants (14.5 μg/m3) and in the production of refractories (6.1 μg/m3) and graphite electrodes (0.7 μg/m3). Biological monitoring revealed concentrations of the sum of both metabolites [(1+2)-NOL] in smokers to be increased by 1.6–6.4 times compared with that in non-smokers at the same workplaces. Among non-smokers we found high median (1+2)-NOL levels in converter bricklayers (120.1 μg/l), in coal-tar distillation workers (56.0 μg/l) and in coking plant workers (29.5 μg/l). (1+2)-NOL concentrations around 10 μg/l were found in the production of refractories and graphite electrodes. There was a rough coherency between external and internal naphthalene exposure. In the controls, median (1+2)-NOL concentrations were 10.9 μg/l in non-smokers’ urine and 40.3 μg/l in smokers’ urine samples. Conclusions: Actual conditions of occupational hygiene at the workplaces investigated in this comprehensive study are better than those that current limit values of 50,000 μg/m3 (TLV, TRK) seem to induce. It has become obvious that tobacco smoking is a crucial confounding factor in biological monitoring of naphthalene-exposed humans, making interpretation of occupationally increased naphthol excretions very difficult at low exposure levels.

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Acknowledgements

The German Federation of Institutions for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention (HVBG) is acknowledged for its support of the national study “PAH exposure at the workplace”. We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Rossbach (Mainz) and Mr. J. Müller (Erlangen), who organised and accomplished several investigations in various industrial plants. Special thanks go to all colleagues of the individual trade associations, as well as to the dedicated support by the doctors and security personnel of the companies, who helped us in every way. Namely, we want to thank: Dipl.-Ing. M. Böckler (BG Feinmechanik und Elektrotechnik, Köln); Dr. Ch. Bräu-Dümler (Röthenbach/Pegnitz); M. Dettmarg (Castrop-Rauxel); W. Diegelmann (Giessen); Dr. K. Etzler (Duisburg); D. Fendler (BG Feinmechanik und Elektrotechnik, Köln); Dr. U. Geisel-Straus (Bayreuth); Dr. U. Goergens (Bau-BG Rheinland und Westfalen, Wuppertal); Dr. F. Greff (Südwestliche Bau-BG, Saarbrücken); Dr. G. Hoffmann (Bau-BG Rheinland und Westfalen, Wuppertal); Dipl.-Chem. K. Kahl (Röthenbach/Pegnitz); Dr. Konzelmann (Bonn), Dr. H. Krieger (Giessen); Dipl.-Ing. R. Lange (Giessen); S. Lausmann (BG Feinmechanik und Elektrotechnik, Köln); Dr. J. Lilie (Castrop-Rauxel); Dipl.-Ing. F. Müller (Wiesbaden); K. Ortlepp (Salzgitter); P. Reim (Giessen); Dr. M. Scherenberg (Bau-BG Rheinland und Westfalen, Wuppertal); Dr. H. Schmittner (Südwestliche Bau-BG, Karlsruhe); Dipl.-Ing. H. Schulz (Bau-BG Rheinland und Westfalen, Wuppertal); M. Würstl (Marktredwitz). Dr. J. Angel-Peters (Südwestliche Bau-BG, Karlsruhe); Dr. W. Boenigk (Castrop-Rauxel); B. Fuchs (Salzgitter); Dr. H. Heinz (Salzgitter); Dipl.-Ing. H. Metge (BG der keramischen und Glasindustrie, Neuwied); Dr. H. Tillmanns (Frankfurt).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, Schillerstrasse 25/29, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Ralf Preuss, Hans Drexler, Melanie Böttcher & Jürgen Angerer

  2. Abteilung für Hygiene, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Michael Wilhelm

  3. Berufsgenossenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut für Arbeitsmedizin (BGFA), Bochum, Germany

    Thomas Brüning

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  1. Ralf Preuss
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  2. Hans Drexler
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  3. Melanie Böttcher
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  4. Michael Wilhelm
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  6. Jürgen Angerer
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Correspondence to Jürgen Angerer.

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Preuss, R., Drexler, H., Böttcher, M. et al. Current external and internal exposure to naphthalene of workers occupationally exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different industries. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 78, 355–362 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-004-0593-3

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