Contribution to health aspects of exposure to exhaust emissions

Česká verzia

Authors: M. Tuček ¹; V. Bencko ¹; J. Volný ²; L. Novotný ¹; J. Petanová ³
Authors place of work: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, 1. LF a VFN Ústav hygieny a epidemiologie Přednosta: prof. MUDr. Vladimír Bencko, DrSc. ¹; Zařízení zdravotní péče, Generální ředitelství cel, Praha ²; Univerzita Karlova v Praze, 1. LF a VFN Ústav imunologie a mikrobiologie Přednosta: prof. MUDr. Ivan Šterzl, CSc. ³
Published in the journal: Prakt. Lék. 2008; 88(5): 300-304
Category: Of different specialties

Summary

The authors present the results of a three year follow-up study on a total of 44 customs officers occupationally exposed to exhaust emissions (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs). Emissions concentrations measured in the customs outdoor workplace vary, with the number cars, from 20 to 980 μg.m⁻³ NO_x (on average 180 to 390 μg.m⁻³), and from 1 to 27 mg.m-3 CO (on average 4 to 8 mg.m⁻³). The measurement of the presence of 16 PAHs in the air of the workplace using active personal dosimetry was performed by personal long-term sampling in 25 exposed individuals. Total PAHs levels in the air of the workplace reached, in individual sampling terms, values in the range of 0.11 to 8.96 μg.m⁻³. Biological monitoring established the mean values of the content of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) in the urine of exposed persons to be 0.56 ± 1.04 μg.g⁻¹ creatinine (maximum 6.30 μg.g⁻¹ creatinine) and in the urine of control individuals 0.08 ± 0.08 μg.g⁻¹ creatinine (maximum 0.30 μg.g⁻¹ creatinine). The observation of parameters of the state of general health included a guided interview with a questionnaire, haematological examination (14 items), biochemical examination of serum (12 items), examination of humoral and cellular immunity (23 items), examination of tumour markers in blood (CEA, NSE, TK, CA 19-9, CYFRA), and cytogenetic analysis of peripheral lymphocytes (CALPL). The health complaints of the examined persons correspond to a normal distribution in a general population of the same age range, 47 % of the exposed customs officers have subjective complaints. Signs of damage to the immune system, compared to the general population, have not been observed except in a few exceptions; an increased level of αα-1-antitrypsin in individuals exposed to the polluted atmosphere was shown in 18 % of the examined subjects, but only once. The life-long risk of carcinogenic effects for the exposed persons turned out to be in the range of 7.2 x 10⁻⁶ to 7.5 x 10⁻⁵ depending upon climatic conditions.

Key words:
custom officers, occupational exposure, exhaust gases, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, health aspects.

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