Environmental Health Criteria 214

HUMAN EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT
pesticides used indoors were mainly taken via inhalation.
The chlorinated hydrocarbons chlordane, heptachlor, aldrin and
dieldrin were calculated to have the largest risk for health effects,
although all but heptachlor and aldrin had negligible risks.
Heptachlor and aldrin had excess lifetime cancer risks of 2 × 10- 4
and 1 × 10- 4 respectively in Jacksonville, despite having been banned
for many years.
12.7.5 Czech study of air pollution impact on human health
The aim of the Teplice programme has been to conduct a
multi-end-point air monitoring and human biomonitoring study to assess
the impact of air pollution on population health in the district of
Teplice, Czech Republic (Sram et al., 1996). Particulate and gaseous
air pollutants were measured in Teplice and in the control region
Prachatice. PM 2.5 and PM 10 composition and toxic metals as well as
concentrations of PAHs were measured daily in winter and periodically
during the spring/summer season. The concentrations of all pollutants
measured were significantly higher in winter compared to spring and
summer. Average fine particle mass in Teplice was 122 µg/m 3 compared
to 44 µg/m 3 in Prachatice during the winter of 1993, and 28.7 µg/m 3
and 17 µg/m 3 respectively, in spring/summer. Total PAH concentrations
in Teplice in winter were approximately twice as high as in Prachatice
(278 versus 163 ng/m 3 ). Evaluation of the benzo [a]pyrene to lead
ratio in Teplice over time indicated the presence of at least two
sources of PAHs. During the summer when mobile sources are the major
contributor to benzo [a]pyrene, the ratio was about 0.01. During
winter, when the ratio was 0.05 to 0.15, emission from inefficient
combustion of brown coal in domestic heating systems is considered to
be the most likely source of PAHs.
Personal exposure and biomarkers were measured with the objective
of simultaneously evaluating personal exposure to air pollution and
internal measures of dose and genetic effects and susceptibility using
a series of biomarkers. PAHs were selected as the pollutant marker for
monitoring personal exposure. A group of 30 women working outdoors in
Teplice district was compared with a group of 30 women from the
Prachatice district. Personal exposure monitoring (PM 2.5 ) was
conducted for the 24-h period prior to collection of blood and urine.
High correlation were observed between the mass of fine particles and
personal exposure to total carcinogenic PAHs and benzo [a]pyrene.
Significant correlations were observed between the personal exposures
to PM 2.5 or carcinogenic PAHs and blood lead and blood selenium. The
urinary PAH metabolites, adjusted for creatinine content, were also
significantly correlated with PM 2.5 or PAHs. Significant correlations
were found between personal exposure to carcinogenic PAHs and white
blood cell DNA adduct level.
The results consistently suggested that elevated levels of
airborne fine particle pollution could result in measurable uptake,
metabolism and cellular DNA damage in a population exposed to high
concentrations, even for a short-term winter inversion period.
REFERENCES
ACGIH (1989) Guidelines for the assessment of bioaerosols in the
indoor environment. Cincinnati, Ohio, American Conference of
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