Article

Urinary metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers in boilermakers exposed to metal fume and residual oil fly ash

  1. Sutapa Mukherjee MBBS, PhD1,2,
  2. Ema Rodrigues BA1,
  3. David B. Aeschliman BS3,
  4. R.S. Houk PhD3,
  5. Lyle J. Palmer PhD4,
  6. Mark A. Woodin ScD, MS1,5,
  7. Robert Weker BA6,
  8. David C. Christiani MD, MPH, MS1,7,*

Article first published online: 16 MAY 2005

DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20161

Issue

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

Volume 47, Issue 6, pages 484–493, June 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mukherjee, S., Rodrigues, E., Aeschliman, D. B., Houk, R., Palmer, L. J., Woodin, M. A., Weker, R. and Christiani, D. C. (2005), Urinary metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers in boilermakers exposed to metal fume and residual oil fly ash. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 47: 484–493. doi: 10.1002/ajim.20161

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Environmental Health, Occupational Health Program, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts

  2. 2

    WA Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Department of Pulmonary Physiology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

  3. 3

    Ames Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

  4. 4

    UWA Centre for Medical Research and Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, QE-II Medical Centre, Hospital Ave, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

  5. 5

    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Environmental Health Program, Tufts University, College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts

  6. 6

    Department of Environmental Health, Environmental Science and Engineering Program, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts

  7. 7

    Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts

*Harvard School of Public Health, Occupational Health Program, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 MAY 2005
  2. Article first published online: 16 MAY 2005
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 21 FEB 2005

Funded by

  • Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Cottrell Fellowship)
  • Ames Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Iowa State University. Grant Number: W-7405-Eng-82
  • NIH. Grant Numbers: ES09860, ES00002

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (145K)

Keywords:

  • particulates;
  • occupational health;
  • biomarkers;
  • carcinogens

Abstract

Background

Boilermakers are occupationally exposed to known carcinogens.

Methods

The association of urinary 1-hydroxy-pyrene (1-OHP), a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, with biomarkers of metal exposure (vanadium, chromium, manganese, nickel, copper, and lead) in boilermakers exposed to metal fume from welding and dust particulates from residual oil fly ash (ROFA) was examined. A repeated measures cohort study was conducted during the overhaul of an oil-fired boiler. Twice-daily urine samples were obtained for 5 days and analyzed for cotinine, 1-OHP, and metals. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to model the multivariate relationship of 1-OHP to the explanatory variables.

Results

Metal and 1-OHP levels were determined for 165 urine samples from 20 boilermakers and these levels increased during the workweek. However, the 1-OHP level was not significantly associated with any individual metal level at any time point.

Conclusion

This suggests that boilermakers were occupationally exposed to PAH and metals, but 1-OHP as a PAH biomarker was unable to serve as a surrogate marker of metal exposure for the metals measured in this study. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:484–493, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Get PDF (145K)