Power Plant Workers Research Articles

Fewer than 15% of coal power plant workers in China can easily shift to green jobs by 2060

Fewer than 15% of coal power plant workers in China can easily shift to green jobs by 2060

Job demands, control, social support and mental health in workers of thermal power plants and underground mines: A comparative study

This descriptive study was conducted to compare the job demands, job control, social support and mental health status of thermal power plant and underground coal mine workers. 158 workers in thermal power plant and 162 workers in underground coal mine participated in the study. The results unearthed that thermal power plant workers had 2.3 times better mental health (p < 0.001 OR = 2.3 CI = 1.50-3.74) and 3.0 times lower job demands (p < 0.001 OR = 3.0 CI = 1.91-4.92) than coal mine workers. In the study, it was determined that mental health was positively affected as job control and social support increased in both thermal power plant and underground mine workers (p < 0.05); there was no significant relationship between job demands and mental health (p > 0.05). These results indicate that underground mine workers are at higher risk in terms of mental health and job demands than thermal power plant workers.

Impact of individual and work factors on the heat-related consequences among power plant workers in a hot region

ABSTRACT Prolonged exposure to hot environments increases the probability of heat load that may cause occupational heat strain to workers. This study investigates the impact of individual and work-related factors on the heat-related consequences among power plant workers in a hot region. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020. The collecting data tool was a validated self-reported 26 item questionnaire and completed in 534 individuals. We used logistic regression, Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and maximum likelihood evaluations for data analysis. The findings indicated that age, work environment, physical work demands and drinking fluids during work hours are significant with heat exposure perception, heat-related symptoms, and work performance (P-value<0.05). Further, the male workers aged 40-49 are more prone to heat-related symptoms (AOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.18-2.13). The importance of addressing heat stress in occupational settings is necessary and informing strategies to help workers adapt to heat in hot workplaces.

ВІДЧУТТЯ МІСЦЯ ЯК ЧИННИК СТІЙКОСТІ ГРОМАДИ МІСТА (ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ НА ПРИКЛАДІ МІСТА СЛАВУТИЧ, УКРАЇНА)

The importance of the sense of place issue lies in its ability to enhance the community's resilience in addressing current situational and strategic tasks related to the cohesion of residents in the face of natural, social, or military challenges. To achieve a sense of place on a collective level, it is necessary to appeal to the unique and important characteristics of a place for its residents. This includes an authentic spirit and character of place that can influence the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional dimensions of the relationship between people and places. The research goal is to investigate the influence of a sense of place on the development of a cohesive and resilient community, using the city of Slavutych as an example. Despite facing various challenges, the city has consistently demonstrated a strong sense of unity and local patriotism based on past experiences. The community of Slavutych experienced the most recent challenge during the blockade and temporary occupation in March 2022, when the city was able to drive out the russian invaders as a result of a peaceful rally, self-organization of residents, and silent resistance by Chornobyl nuclear power plant workers. This reactive participation led to an active rethinking of local meanings and contexts of sense of place. Using the example of Slavutych city, we demonstrate how two groups of factors of a sense of place (physical features and cognitive and perceptual factors) determine the infrastructural, economic, ecological, institutional, social and competence dimensions of community resilience. Based on the results of a long-term study of the city using methods of observation, surveys, in-depth interviews, and expert analysis, the article emphasizes that community cohesion manifests itself differently in peacetime and during wartime challenges. However, in both cases, it is based on a strong sense of place, solidarity, and the establishment of informal social networks. Clearly understanding the uniqueness and exclusivity of Slavutych as an ideal satellite city of a nuclear power plant, the youngest and most comfortable city in Ukraine, we believe that community cohesion during the war is a typical phenomenon of national scale for all Ukrainian communities.

ANALYSIS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL ERGONOMICS FOR NIGHT SHIFT WORKERS CORRELATED WITH SLEEP QUALITY AND TIME TO RECOVERY

The worker’s recovery time from physical and mental workload is a crucial factor for office and factory management and it will effect on the working performance and design working system. The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of physiological conditions on sleep quality and time to recovery for night shift electric steam power plant workers. The research is started with study literatures on physiology ergonomics, sleep quality measurement, human metabolism, expenditure energy graph and physical/mental workload. The research worked with 50 samples (age between 30 to 45 years old) who have duty to control the electric steam power plant on dynamic computer screen in the night shift. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire was used subjectively to measure the value of sleep quality on 19 self – rated questions that assessed various sleep quality – related factor over the previous month. To know the speed of Time to Recovery (TTR), every worker perform a treadmill load with constant speed of 5 Km/hour for 10 minutes. Heart rate changes before activity, during activity (treatment) and TTR are recorded and it be analysed the pattern of relationship conducting to PSQI score. According to the data analysis, the higher PSQI score the longer time consume by workers to recovery. Moreover, Pearson statistic test results found that there is a strong relationship between sleep quality (PSQI value) and TTR for workers with value of 0.853. In sort, improving the quality of sleep for night shift electric steam power plant workers can definitely improve work performance on a shorter rest time or healthier conditions of workers.

Radiation safety assessments for radioactive concrete recycling workers and residents

Carried out was the assessment of the radiation safety for the recycling workers of the radioactive concrete generated from nuclear power plants and nearby residents. Decommissioning of a nuclear power plant with an electric output of 1000 MW generates approximately 500,000 tons of concrete waste. It is important to reduce the volume of concrete waste to reduce the costs of decommissioning projects. For this purpose, the low-level radioactive cement powder from bioshield concrete is recycled as a solidifying agent. The number of radioactive concrete waste drums to be disposed is reduced by extracting cement from the radioactive concrete and using it as a solidifying agent, rather than using cement from general industrial waste. Various exposure scenarios exist, and it is necessary to evaluate the radiation dose in each scenario. In this study, seven scenarios were selected and evaluated. The radioactive exposure to facility workers, nuclear power plant workers, and landfill management workers is within the annual dose limit, even if they work 2000 h per year. A loader can work close to the drum for 90–93 h per year, and a truck driver can drive 621 one-way trucks per year. Dose evaluations for road users and residents after landfill closure showed that both had values far below the dose limit for the public. Bioshield concrete recycling was confirmed to be radiologically safe in all scenarios if certain conditions were satisfied. Thus, this study showed that cement powder from bioshield concrete could be used safely without exceeding the radiation safety limits for workers and the public when recycling concrete.

Just Transition Policies, Power Plant Workers and Green Entrepreneurs in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria: Can Education and Retraining Meet the Challenge?

This study seeks to shed light on the changes currently occurring in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria on the energy transition process by examining the relevant consequences for power plant workers in the green energy market. The main aim of this paper is to explore the impacts of the implemented policies on the labour force of electricity generation stations and to identify learning needs for new skills and competences. Thus, it explores the possibility to achieve a just transition by employing workers from the high-carbon energy sector to the renewable energy sector. Qualitative research was carried out to explore the views and expectancies of the above-mentioned people as well as to trace the perceptions of the stakeholders of the green energy industry. A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the previously mentioned three countries, which also investigated relevant training and upskilling programmes. The findings revealed various types of educational needs and techniques that can be applied by training providers in accordance to the power plant worker’s views as well as the disciplines and specialities of the workforce that are suitable to receive the further fit for attending such programmes. Workers in Greece and Cyprus appeared more optimistic for this possibility compared to Bulgarian workers. Green entrepreneurs were also optimistic but worried for the rate of investments in the green sector. The current findings describe the backdrop that challenges future retraining programmes with regard to achieving just transition policies for this workforce.

TENORM radiation protection patterns for the sustainable health of workers

Background: Coal production in Indonesia continues to increase to meet national energy needs and export demand. Solid waste from the coal combustion process is estimated to increase significantly. One of the hazardous mining wastes is TENORM, but some TENORM is classified as production goods with economic value. The problem in this research is that the volume of waste containing TENORM is quite large, and the disposal, use, and recycling of TENORM has the potential to cause contamination for workers at the steam power plant and the surrounding environment. Objective: The purpose of this research is to obtain a design model for the protection of the environment and workers against TENORM radioactive waste from coal ash through an analysis of the social and economic perceptions of steam power plant workers regarding TENORM radiation and the effectiveness of TENORM radiation protection education to workers. Methods: A mixed method with a quantitative approach was applied. Data were gathered through field observation utilizing a questionnaire instrument that asked workers working at Steam Power Plant Units 1 – 7 a series of written questions. Results: Prior to Counseling, most Suralaya Steam Power Plant workers had shallow social and economic perceptions of TENORM radiation, with 88 percent unaware of its effects. The majority also paid between 100,000 and 500,000 IDR monthly in medical expenses. All respondents agreed that TENORM radiation safety counseling for Suralaya Steam Power Plant workers was utterly compelling, with acceptance of TENORM and WTP estimates following Counseling being the most important aspect. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between the WTP variable after Counseling and the variables acceptance of TENORM protection (0.730), TENORM knowledge (0.627) before and after Counseling (after Counseling), and acceptance of TENORM protection (0.648), according to the pattern of protection for the SEM model.

Assessment of hazard recognition performance of thermal power plant workers: A case study of a combined cycle power plant

Assessment of hazard recognition performance of thermal power plant workers: A case study of a combined cycle power plant

Moon, Mars and Minds: Evaluating Parkinson’s disease mortality among U.S. radiation workers and veterans in the million person study of low-dose effects

BackgroundRadiation is one of the most important stressors related to missions in space beyond Earth’s orbit. Epidemiologic studies of exposed workers have reported elevated rates of Parkinson’s disease. The importance of cognitive dysfunction related to low-dose rate radiation in humans is not defined. A meta-analysis was conducted of six cohorts in the Million Person Study (MPS) of low-dose health effects to learn whether there is consistent evidence that Parkinson’s disease is associated with radiation dose to brain. Materials and methodsThe MPS evaluates all causes of death among U.S. radiation workers and veterans, including Parkinson’s disease. Systematic and consistent methods are applied to study all categories of workers including medical radiation workers, industrial radiographers, nuclear power plant workers, atomic veterans, and Manhattan Projects workers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and at Rocky Flats. Consistent methods for all cohorts are used to estimate organ-specific doses and to obtain vital status and cause of death. ResultsThe meta-analysis include 6 cohorts within the MPS, consisting of 517,608 workers and 17,219,001 person-years of observation. The mean dose to brain ranged from 6.9 to 47.6 mGy and the maximum dose from 0.76 to 2.7 Gy. Five of the 6 cohorts revealed positive associations with Parkinson’s disease. The overall summary estimate from the meta-analysis was statistically significant based on 1573 deaths due to Parkinson’s disease. The summary excess relative risk at 100 mGy was 0.17 (95% CI: 0.05; 0.29). ConclusionsParkinson’s disease was positively associated with radiation in the MPS cohorts indicating the need for careful evaluation as to causality in other studies, delineation of possible mechanisms, and assessing possible implications for space travel as well as radiation protection guidance for terrestrial workers.

Varieties of just transition: Public support in South Africa’s Mpumalanga coal community for different policy options

Decarbonization creates a global public good but imposes costs on specific communities such as those employed in the fossil fuel supply chain. “Just Transition” (JT) policies that compensate cost-bearing communities are expected to build political support for decarbonization. In developing countries, JT policies are often financed by foreign aid and managed by governmental actors. To assess public support for JT, we identify four policy types, depending on whether they target individuals or the local government or community, and how quickly individuals receive benefits. These are: individual compensation (individual, quick), financial support to local governments (community, quick), individual reskilling (individual, delayed), and upgrading local infrastructure (community, delayed). To assess public preferences about JT policies, we focus on South Africa which has a large coal mining sector. Our in-depth interviews with 51 coal miners, Eskom power plant workers, and community members in Mpumalanga province reveal that most interviewees favor monetary compensation which provides direct support to individuals in a short period of time. Moreover, given the low trust in the government, interviewees do not want government or the labor unions to administer the JT funds. Instead, they favor independent actors, such as NGOs and the judiciary, to oversee JT disbursal.

Review Paper on Green’s Function- A Mathematical Approach for Investigation of Thermal Stresses in Steam Turbine Rotor

In online systems, a numerical technique based on Green’s function for estimating and analyzing thermal stresses subjected to transient conditions proved to be effective. The need for utility power plants to have great operating flexibility necessitates the use of online systems for controlling and monitoring damage to important components, such as steam turbine rotors. Different data and mathematical models are used in such systems to calculate thermal stresses and manage them continuously. Thermal fatigue is becoming more of a worry in power plant workers as the trend toward “two-shifting” operating methods grows. Thermal power plants are anticipated to be a form of energy mix for the near future when they’re under pressure from society to produce in a more efficient and flexible manner.For transient thermal stress problems, Green’s function approach offers a flexible approach for assessing benchmark elastic answers. Green’s functions (deduced using finite element unit temperature phase answers) are frequently believed to be independent of temperature in order to ease integration. During startup, the turbine shafts of coal power plants are subjected to significant stresses caused by high pressures and temperatures. Thermal gradients approach the design threshold at the very same time that steam temperatures via components quickly transition from minimum to maximum temperature, reducing the rotor’s useful lifetime. Thermal property assessments predicated on relatively stable heating are implicit procedures wherein the temperature-dependent properties and characteristics are determined by comparing the experimental results with heat-transfer concept.

Search for polymorphic variants of candidate genes contributing to individual radiosensitivity

Background.Cytogenetic damage (СD) in lymphocytes induced by low doses (up to 0.1 Sv) of ionizing radiation (IR) is the main cytogenetic sign of individual radiosensitivity of the human body. In addition to DNA repair and cell death, which affect the formation of СD and its elimination, IR effects on the cell can be manifested through changes in proliferation of cells with unrepaired DNA damage. The system of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), which provide coordination of mitotic events during passage of a cell through the cell cycle, plays a crucial role in regulation of cell proliferation.Aim.To evaluate the relationship of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cell cycle genes with an increased frequency of СD in workers of a nuclear power plant affected by chronic occupational radiation exposure in the dose range of 100–500 mSv.Materials and methods.The object of the study was blood of 55 conditionally healthy workers of Siberian Chemical Plant (SCP) who were affected by chronic occupational radiation exposure (gamma radiation) in the dose range of 100–500 mSv. A standard cytogenetic analysis of blood lymphocytes was performed for all examined individuals. Genomic DNA was isolated from the blood of the workers using the QIAamp DNA Blood Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Germany). DNA was genotyped using 257 SNPs of cyclin genes and neighboring intergenic regions using DNA microarrays from the high-density CytoScan HD Array (Affymetrix, USA).Results.Taking into account the Bonferroni correction, only statistically significant associations of SNPs with the frequency of dicentric chromosomes were found; all other types of chromosomal aberrations did not show statistical significance. The rs803054CCNI2was associated with an increased frequency of dicentric chromosomes arising under the influence of chronic occupational radiation exposure.Conclusion.The discovered SNP (rs803054), whose recessive genotype is associated with an increased frequency of dicentric chromosomes in workers of SCP exposed to radiation at doses of 100–500 mSv over a long time, can be considered as a potential marker of individual radiosensitivity. To confirm the identified associations, further validation studies are needed on an expanded sample of people affected by chronic occupational radiation exposure.

HYDRO-ECOLOGICAI CONDITION OF LAKE LYMAN (DVS RP "LYMANSKE" OF KHARKIV REGION)

A comparative analysis of the hydro-ecological state of Lake Lyman (DVSRP "Lymanske" of the Kharkiv region) of the cooling reservoir of the Zmiyivska TPP (Siverski Dinets basin) was carried out for the study of ecological and genetic features of white (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and variegated (Aristichthys nobilis) carp using ISSR DNA markers during 2019-2020. The ecological state of water bodies is presented, the species composition of the biota, the natural fodder base and the factors influencing the environment on the conditions of aquaculture are defined; the ecological conditions of growing a population of different age groups of variegated (Aristichthys nobilis) and white carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in the conditions of the Lymanske DVSRP of the Kharkiv region were studied in 2019. The studied phytoplankton shows a rather significant increase in biomass compared to previous research results (1984-2010). A significant increase in the number of phytoplankton is also evidenced by the fixation of floating masses of phytoplankton in the reservoir with a layer of up to 2-3 cm, among which blue-green algae (Cyanophyta), dinophyta (Dinophyta), and diamond algae (Bacillariophyta) predominated in number. The zooplankton of Lake Lyman was represented by rather widespread forms of three main groups: Rotifera, Cladocera, Copepoda. The ichthyofauna of the cooling pond of the Zmiivskaya TPP, which now includes 28 species of fish from 8 families, was studied. The main factors in the formation of the composition of fish in the cooling reservoir are the thermal load of the station, fishing activity and regular supply of river water to the reservoir. Changes in the composition of the fish fauna in recent years are due to the massive spread of evribiont fish-intervenors (needle fish, stickleback), a decrease in the power plant's working capacity (chub fish, gustera, or whitefish), as well as the release of fish from cages when the latter are broken.

The Predictors of Unsafe Behaviors among Nuclear Power Plant Workers: An Investigation Integrating Personality, Cognitive and Attitudinal Factors.

Unsafe behaviors, such as violations and human errors, have long been recognized as the main causes of accidents in nuclear power plants (NPPs). However, personal factors that influence unsafe behaviors among NPP workers have not been well examined, especially in an integrated model. This study proposes an integrated contextual mediated model to examine personality, cognitive and attitudinal predictors of unsafe behaviors among commissioning workers at NPPs. The model was verified using structural equation modeling technique with survey data from 177 commissioning workers in two Chinese NPPs. Results show that personality traits (i.e., conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness and agreeableness), executive function and safety attitudes exerted significant effects on unsafe behaviors. In addition, the effects of agreeableness and executive function were partly mediated by safety attitudes. Both conscientiousness and neuroticism indirectly influenced unsafe behaviors through the mediating role of executive function. The findings shed light on the design of evidence-based interventions for safety performance in NPPs.

Rao-combined artificial bee colony algorithm for minimum dose path planning in complex radioactive environments

Nuclear power plant workers inevitably work in a radiation environment. Minimum dose path planning becomes an important issue in ensuring that they receive as little radiation as possible. However, a work environment with complex obstacles or narrow passages makes the problem of finding the path with the minimum dose more difficult. In this paper, we propose a meta-heuristic method to solve this problem. An algorithm called Rao-combined artificial bee colony (RABC) is proposed with a novel obstacle detour technique. The RABC algorithm combines the directional solution update method of the Rao algorithm with the traditional ABC algorithm to further improve performance. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, three hypothetical environments are simulated. In the first hypothetical environment where there are no obstacles and many radiation sources are scattered, the meta-heuristic algorithms, PSO, ABC and RABC are compared, and in the second hypothetical environment with narrow passages and obstacles, the grid-based A* algorithm and the sampling-based RRT* algorithm are used for comparison with RABC. The third hypothetical environment is a complex environment where many radiation sources and obstacles are distributed and there are narrow passages. In this case, the proposed algorithm is compared with the Dijkstra algorithm and the GB-RRT* algorithm, which is known as one of the best in obstacle avoidance. Experimental results show that the proposed method is superior in exploration and exploitation, convergence and robustness compared to other meta-heuristic algorithms as well as grid-based or sampling-based algorithms.

Sickness Absence in the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Workers as an Element of the Digital Twin Concept in Occupational Medicine

Introduction: A multifactorial analysis of the causes of morbidity and preventive measures provides an opportunity to build a risk prediction model for sickness absence in the working population, thereby reducing production and healthcare costs. Objective: A retrospective analysis of sickness absence in workers of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant exposed to a combination of occupational risk factors in the year 2020. Materials and methods: We analyzed sickness absence rates in the workers in terms of the ICD-10 nomenclature based on data of the Russian Statistical Observation Form No. 16-VN and established the number of episodes of sickness absence per employee as a relative indicator independent of the size of the groups under study. Results: The highest sickness absence rates per 100 employees were estimated for workers of the Training Center and Design and Technology Department (73.1 episodes each), the Hydroshop (68.6) and Transportation Department (65.5). In the Radioactive Waste Treatment Shop and the first and second Reactor Shops, these rates were 53, 43.9, and 33.9 per 100 employees, respectively. The mean duration of an episode of sickness absence in all divisions of the nuclear power plant was 13–15.4 days and its most frequent causes were, similar to the Kursk Region and the Russian Federation as a whole, diseases of the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems, injuries and poisonings. Conclusions: It is important to develop a risk-based approach in occupational medicine. To establish a cause-and-effect relationship for loss of health among nuclear industry workers, we propose to create a digital platform (a digital twin of an employee) enabling prediction of the time, cause, risk of a disease and/or disability, and prerequisites for its mitigation.

Organ dose reconstruction for the radiation epidemiological study of Korean radiation workers: The first dose evaluation for the Korean Radiation Worker Study (KRWS)

The Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences has started a radiation epidemiological study, titled "Korean Radiation Worker Study," to evaluate the health effects of occupational exposure to radiation. As a part of this study, we investigated the methodologies and results of reconstructing organ-specific absorbed doses based on personal dose equivalent, Hp(10), reported from 1984 to 2019 for 20,605 Korean radiation workers. For the organ dose reconstruction, representative exposure scenarios (i.e., radiation energy and exposure geometry) were first determined according to occupational groups, and dose coefficients for converting Hp(10) to organ absorbed doses were then appropriately taken based on the exposure scenarios. Individual annual doses and individual cumulative doses were reconstructed for 27 organs, and the highest values were observed in the thyroid doses (on average 0.77 mGy/y and 10.47 mGy, respectively). Mean values of individual cumulative absorbed doses for the red bone marrow, colon, and lungs were 7.83, 8.78, and 8.43 mSv, respectively. Most of the organ doses were maximum for industrial radiographers, followed by nuclear power plant workers, medical workers, and other facility workers. The organ dose database established in this study will be utilized for organ-specific risk estimation in the Korean Radiation Worker Study.

The Effects of Chromium and Vanadium on Biomarkers of Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Workers Exposed to Coal Fly Ash.

Chromium (Cr) and vanadium (V) are micronutrients playing a role in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism but can be toxic at high concentrations, especially in specific forms. The study documents the effect of Cr and V concentrations on glucose and lipid metabolism in workers exposed to coal fly ash. We quantified selected metals (Cr, V) in the blood and serum of workers from a thermal power plant in Kosovo and compared them with the reference biological values. We determined fasting serum glucose and lipid profiles using a biochemical analyzer Synchron CX7 (Beckman Coulter). We quantified blood and serum Cr and V by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We also evaluated the association between carbohydrate and lipid metabolism biomarkers (glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides) and co-exposure to coal fly ash. Power plant workers had significantly higher blood Cr and V levels (p < 0.0001) and significantly lower serum Cr and V levels (p < 0.0001) than the controls. We also found statistically significant (p < 0.0001) correlations between high blood Cr levels and low glucose/blood Cr ratios as well as between high serum Cr levels and low glucose/serum Cr ratios. Finally, in power plant workers, high blood V levels significantly correlated with low triglycerides/blood V and cholesterol/blood V ratios (p < 0.0001), while high serum V levels correlated with low cholesterol/serum V ratios (p = 0.005). Based on these findings, we concluded that the glucose/Cr, triglycerides/V and cholesterol/V ratios should be considered when evaluating carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders in occupationally-exposed workers.

Parent and Halogenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Serum of Coal-Fired Power Plant Workers: Levels, Sex Differences, Accumulation Trends, and Risks.

Workers in coal-fired power plants are at a high risk of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their halogenated derivatives (HPAHs), yet no studies have investigated such exposure of HPAHs. In this study, 12 PAHs and 8 chlorinated PAHs, but no brominated PAHs, were detected in >80% of serum samples from workers of a coal-fired power plant in eastern China. Serum HPAH concentrations were higher in plant workers (16-273 ng/g lipid) than in people without occupational exposure (12-51 ng/g lipid), and serum PAH and HPAH concentrations both in male and female workers were positively correlated with the occupational exposure duration, with an estimated doubling time of 11-17 years. Correlations were found between concentrations of ∑8HPAHs and ∑12PAHs but not between 7-chlorobenz[a]anthracene (7-ClBaA) and 1-chloropyrene (1-ClPyr) and their respective parent PAHs. In males, total concentrations of PAHs and HPAHs were positively correlated with pulmonary hypofunction and hypertension but not with abnormal electrocardiogram. The benzo[a]pyrene equivalents ratio of ∑8HPAHs/∑12PAHs was 0.3 ± 0.1. Among the HPAHs in the serum, 9-chlorophenanthrene, 7-ClBaA, and 1-ClPyr showed high health risks. This study is the first report on HPAH exposure in coal-fired power plant workers and provides new evidence on the health risks of PAHs and HPAHs in humans.