| Research Abstract |
[Objective] A survey was undertaken to confirm weather concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in the serum of potentially exposed workers at municipal waste incinerators (MWIs) increased or not.
[Methods] Three MWI (A, B and C) participated in this survey. In these 14W1, waste was continuously burned night and day, and the PCDDs/PCDFs concentrations in the exhaust gas were 8.9-42, 0.8-1.4 and 3.1-12 ng/Nm^3 as toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ), respectively. 10 workers were selected in each MWI, and 10 occupationally unexposed workers matched for age (*5) were selected in the same city. Total numbers of the MWI and control workers were 30 and 30, respectively. For each worker, blood sample (about 100 ml) was collected before the breakfast and concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs were determined in the serum.
[Results] There was not statistically significant difference in the TEQ value of the serum between the MWI and control workers. But significant increase of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-hepta CDF concentration was found in the serum of the 14W1 workers comaperd with the control workers in all of the three MWI.
[Conclusion] In general, slag and fly ash/contained 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-hepta CDD, octa CDD and l, 2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF at high concentration. In these three substances, because the serum level of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF was lowest in the control workers, it is considered that the increase in HpCDD was most detectable. This finding suggests that the 14W1 workers were occupationally exposed to PCDDs/PCDFs.
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