Relationships between dioxin concentrations in deposited dust and those in serum of workers at municipal waste incineration plants

Abstract

Relationships between concentrations of polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs) in deposited dust and those in the serum of incinerator workers were examined at 13 municipal incineration plants. The following results were found. 1) Dust analysis showed that dominant constituents were octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HpCDD) among PCDDs, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-heptachlorodibenzofuran (HpCDF) and octachlorodibenzofuran (OCDF) among PCDFs. The toxicity equivalents (TEQs) of total PCDDs and PCDFs in the deposited dust were 0.54 to 33 ngTEQ/g, which were about 1,000 to 10,000 times as high as those in general soil. 2) The mean of serum TEQ of PCDDs, that of PCDFs and that of total PCDDs and PCDFs in the incinerator workers were 16, 12 and 28 pg TEQ/g lipid, respectively, for all the incinerator workers. Concentrations of hexachlorodibenzofurans (HxCDFs) and HpCDFs in the serum were significantly higher in the incinerator workers than the general population, which suggests that these workers had inhaled these chemicals during their work. 3) The concentration of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-HpCDF and the TEQ value of PCDFs and in the serum were positively correlated with those in dust except for three plants where large-scale remodeling of the equipment was conducted within the past seven years. Consequently, deposited dust analysis may be useful for judging whether health examination containing blood dioxin measurement is necessary or not.