TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure, lung function, systemic inflammation, and genotoxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from firefighters before and after a work shift

AU - Andersen, Maria Helena Guerra

AU - Saber, Anne Thoustrup

AU - Pedersen, Julie Elbaek

AU - Pedersen, Peter Bøgh

AU - Clausen, Per Axel

AU - Løhr, Mille

AU - Kermanizadeh, Ali

AU - Loft, Steffen

AU - Ebbehøj, Niels E

AU - Hansen, Åse Marie

AU - Kalevi Koponen, Ismo

AU - Nørskov, Eva-Carina

AU - Vogel, Ulla

AU - Møller, Peter

N1 - Copyright © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PY - 2018/7/1

Y1 - 2018/7/1

N2 - Firefighting is regarded as possibly carcinogenic, although there are few mechanistic studies on genotoxicity in humans. We investigated exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), lung function, systemic inflammation and genotoxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 22 professional firefighters before and after a 24-h work shift. Exposure was assessed by measurements of particulate matter (PM), PAH levels on skin, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and self-reported participation in fire extinguishing activities. PM measurements indicated that use of personal protective equipment (PPE) effectively prevented inhalation exposure, but exposure to PM occurred when the environment was perceived as safe and the self-contained breathing apparatuses were removed. The level of PAH on skin and urinary 1-OHP concentration were similar before and after the work shift, irrespective of self-reported participation in fire extinction activities. Post-shift, the subjects had reduced levels of oxidatively damaged DNA in PBMC, and increased plasma concentration of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). The subjects reporting participation in fire extinction activities during the work shift had a slightly decreased lung function, increased plasma concentration of VCAM-1, and reduced levels of oxidatively damaged DNA in PBMC. Our results suggest that the firefighters were not exposed to PM while using PPE, but exposure occurred when PPE was not used. The work shift was not associated with increased levels of genotoxicity. Increased levels of VCAM-1 in plasma were observed. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:539-548, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

AB - Firefighting is regarded as possibly carcinogenic, although there are few mechanistic studies on genotoxicity in humans. We investigated exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), lung function, systemic inflammation and genotoxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 22 professional firefighters before and after a 24-h work shift. Exposure was assessed by measurements of particulate matter (PM), PAH levels on skin, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and self-reported participation in fire extinguishing activities. PM measurements indicated that use of personal protective equipment (PPE) effectively prevented inhalation exposure, but exposure to PM occurred when the environment was perceived as safe and the self-contained breathing apparatuses were removed. The level of PAH on skin and urinary 1-OHP concentration were similar before and after the work shift, irrespective of self-reported participation in fire extinction activities. Post-shift, the subjects had reduced levels of oxidatively damaged DNA in PBMC, and increased plasma concentration of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). The subjects reporting participation in fire extinction activities during the work shift had a slightly decreased lung function, increased plasma concentration of VCAM-1, and reduced levels of oxidatively damaged DNA in PBMC. Our results suggest that the firefighters were not exposed to PM while using PPE, but exposure occurred when PPE was not used. The work shift was not associated with increased levels of genotoxicity. Increased levels of VCAM-1 in plasma were observed. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:539-548, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

KW - Adult

KW - Air Pollutants, Occupational/adverse effects

KW - Comet Assay

KW - DNA Damage/drug effects

KW - Firefighters

KW - Humans

KW - Inflammation/etiology

KW - Inhalation Exposure/adverse effects

KW - Leukocytes, Mononuclear/drug effects

KW - Lung/drug effects

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Mutagens/adverse effects

KW - Occupational Exposure/adverse effects

KW - Oxidation-Reduction/drug effects

KW - Particulate Matter/adverse effects

KW - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/adverse effects

U2 - 10.1002/em.22193

DO - 10.1002/em.22193

M3 - Article

C2 - 29761929

VL - 59

SP - 539

EP - 548

JO - Environmental and molecular mutagenesis

JF - Environmental and molecular mutagenesis

SN - 0893-6692

IS - 6

ER -