Summary
Current 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) concentrations were determined in blood samples for 138 persons who had been involved in assessment, clean-up and demolition activities after the 1953 BASF trichlorophenol reactor accident. From these data and detailed descriptions of the circumstances and duration of individual exposure, a regression model was developed for describing the relationships between various exposure situations and TCDD concentration. The model explained 65% of the variability in log (TCDD) concentration. Using half-life assumptions and the regression model parameters we estimated cumulative TCDD concentrations back-calculated to the time of exposure for all 254 members of the accident cohort. The geometric mean cumulative TCDD concentration for all cohort members averaged 137.7 ppt. Estimated cumulative TCDD concentrations correlated well with chloracne severity. The mean TCDD concentrations were 38.4 ppt for the no chloracne subgroup (n = 139), 420.8 ppt for the moderate chloracne subgroup (n = 59) and 1008 ppt for the severe chloracne subgroup (n = 56). The estimation procedure should be helpful in assessing the relationships between various health outcomes and TCDD exposure in this cohort.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BG Chemie (1990) Dioxin Examination Program. Berufsgenossenschaft der chemischen Industrie, Heidelberg ISBN: 3-88383302-9
Fingerhut MA, Sweeney MH, Patterson DG, Piacitelli LA, Morris JA, Marlow DA, Hornung RW, Cameron LW, Connally LB, Needham LL, Halperin WE (1989) Levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in the serum of U.S. chemical workers exposed to dioxin contaminated products: interim results. Chemosphere 19:835–840
Flesch-Janys D (1993) Preliminary results on the exposure to polychorinated dioxins and furans and mortality in a cohort of workers of a herbicide producing plant in Hamburg, Germany. Proc. The Toxicology Forum Berlin November 9–11, 1992. The Toxicology Forum, Washington DC
Kimmig J, Schulz KH (1957) Chlorierte aromatische zyklische Äther als Ursache der sogenannten Chlorakne. Naturwissenschaften 44:337–338
Lehnert G, Szadkowski D (1985) Zur Humankanzerogenität von 2,3,7,8-TCDD. Arbeitsmed Sozialmed Präventivmed 20:225–232
Neuberger M, Landvoigt W, Derntl F (1991) Blood levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzop-dioxin in chemical workers after chloracne and in comparison groups. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 63:325–327
Päpke O, Ball M, Lis ZA, Scheunert K (1989) PCDD and PCDF in whole blood samples of unexposed persons. Chemosphere 19:941–948
Päpke O, Ball M, Lis ZA (1992) Various PCDD/PCDF Patterns in human blood resulting from different occupational exposures. Chemosphere 25:1101–1108
Patterson DG, Fingerhut MA, Roberts DW, Needham LL, Sweeney MH, Marlow DA, Andrews JS, Halperin WE (1989) Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in workers exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Am J Ind Med 16:135–146
Schulz KH (1957) Klinische und experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Ätiologie der Chlorakne. Arch Klin Exp Dermatol 206:589–596
Thiess AM, Frentzel-Beyme R, Link R (1982) Mortality study of persons exposed to dioxin in a trichlorophenol-process accident that occurred in the BASF AG on November 17, 1953. Am J Ind Med 3:179–189
Zober MA, Päpke O (1993) Concentrations of PCDs and PCDFs in human tissue 36 years after accidental dioxin exposure. Chemosphere 27
Zober MA, Messerer P, Huber P (1990) Thirty-four-year mortality follow-up of BASF employees exposed to 2,3,7,8-TCDD after the 1953 accident. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 62:139–157
Zober MA, Ott MG, Papke O, Senft K, Germann C (1992) Morbidity study of extruder personnel with potential exposure to brominated dioxins and furans. I. Results of blood monitoring and immunological tests. Br J Ind Med 49:532–544
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ott, M.G., Messerer, P. & Zober, A. Assessment of past occupational exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin using blood lipid analyses. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 65, 1–8 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00586050
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00586050