Exposure to diesel emissions among truck drivers and consequent health risks prevention through PAH biomonitoring assessment

摘要

Unavoidable occupational exposure to petrochemicals is an increasingly health risk which is marked as key environmental stressor for truck drivers. Exposure to diesel exhaust was quantified using PAH biomonitoring and associated health effects were assessed. We monitored pyrene levels in serum and its metabolite 1-hydroxy pyrene in urine. Self-reported health status of truck drivers (n=81) was noted using self-structured questionnaire item with focus on physical symptoms (e.g. skin lesions, eye redness, dryness of tongue/lips, appetite loss, acidity after meals at workplace) and neurasthenic symptoms (e.g. energy loss, fatigue, fainting, twitching, sleeplessness, irritability, body aches). These PAH exposure estimates were correlated with symptoms of health disorders to examine the occupational exposure effects. Median serum pyrene was 2 to 8-fold higher in smokers compared to non-smokers. Our logistic regression model has predicted up to 63% serum pyrene attributed by active smoking and urinary 1-hydroxy pyrene was most strongly affected work hours per day (OR=3.13, 95% Cl=1.27-9.25). Neurasthenic symptoms were found in 44% of the subjects and were associated with years of involvement in job. Occupational association of continuous ten years or more as truck driver has attributed substantial development of neurasthenic effects (OR=2.79, 95% Cl=1.38-5.59). These individuals rated their overall health and functional capacity significantly poorer than that of urban area general population. Our study may prove helpful in the implementation of human biomonitoring as an instrument for health risk assessment among occupational exposure to petrochemicals.