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Polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure to electronics recycling workers - a follow up study

Thuresson, Kaj ; Bergman, Ake ; Rothenbacher, Klaus ; Herrmann, Thomas ; Sjolin, Sverker ; Hagmar, Lars ; Paepke, Olaf and Jakobsson, Kristina LU (2006) In Chemosphere 64(11). p.1855-1861
Abstract
Workers at an electronics recycling plant have previously been shown to have elevated serum levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) compared to referents without occupational PBDE exposure. Subsequent structural changes and industrial hygiene measures at the plant were applied to improve the work environment. The present study aims to assess the impact of these work environment changes on the occupational exposure to PBDEs. Blood were drawn from the workers and analyzed at two different laboratories, and serum concentrations of several PBDE congeners were determined by GC/MS or GC/HRMS. Cross-sectional studies were performed prior to (in 1997; N = 19) and after (in 2000; N = 27) workplace improvements. Longitudinal studies were... (More)
Workers at an electronics recycling plant have previously been shown to have elevated serum levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) compared to referents without occupational PBDE exposure. Subsequent structural changes and industrial hygiene measures at the plant were applied to improve the work environment. The present study aims to assess the impact of these work environment changes on the occupational exposure to PBDEs. Blood were drawn from the workers and analyzed at two different laboratories, and serum concentrations of several PBDE congeners were determined by GC/MS or GC/HRMS. Cross-sectional studies were performed prior to (in 1997; N = 19) and after (in 2000; N = 27) workplace improvements. Longitudinal studies were performed on twelve of the workers that were sampled at both occasions. Even though the amount of processed goods had doubled in 2000 as compared to 1997, there was a significant decrease in the serum levels of BDE-183 and BDE-209. For BDE-209 the levels observed in year 2000 were even lower than in referents with no occupational exposure. In contrast to the decrease of higher brominated diphenyl ethers, the concentrations of BDE-47 did not significantly change. For BDE-153, the cross-sectional study indicated no change, whereas the longitudinal follow up indicated a significant increase. This study shows that the industrial hygiene improvements clearly reduced the occupational exposure to BDE-183 and BDE-209 at the plant. Still, the levels of hexa- to nonaBDEs but not BDE-209 were elevated, compared to referents with no occupational exposure. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
levels, blood, occupational exposure, brominated flame retardants, PBDE, BFR, analysis
in
Chemosphere
volume
64
issue
11
pages
1855 - 1861
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000240934200007
  • scopus:33746228170
  • pmid:16524616
ISSN
1879-1298
DOI
10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.01.055
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2af96c8a-e6f7-42cf-a127-b386e2bbe6fb (old id 389662)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:04:15
date last changed
2022-03-05 18:33:08
@article{2af96c8a-e6f7-42cf-a127-b386e2bbe6fb,
  abstract     = {{Workers at an electronics recycling plant have previously been shown to have elevated serum levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) compared to referents without occupational PBDE exposure. Subsequent structural changes and industrial hygiene measures at the plant were applied to improve the work environment. The present study aims to assess the impact of these work environment changes on the occupational exposure to PBDEs. Blood were drawn from the workers and analyzed at two different laboratories, and serum concentrations of several PBDE congeners were determined by GC/MS or GC/HRMS. Cross-sectional studies were performed prior to (in 1997; N = 19) and after (in 2000; N = 27) workplace improvements. Longitudinal studies were performed on twelve of the workers that were sampled at both occasions. Even though the amount of processed goods had doubled in 2000 as compared to 1997, there was a significant decrease in the serum levels of BDE-183 and BDE-209. For BDE-209 the levels observed in year 2000 were even lower than in referents with no occupational exposure. In contrast to the decrease of higher brominated diphenyl ethers, the concentrations of BDE-47 did not significantly change. For BDE-153, the cross-sectional study indicated no change, whereas the longitudinal follow up indicated a significant increase. This study shows that the industrial hygiene improvements clearly reduced the occupational exposure to BDE-183 and BDE-209 at the plant. Still, the levels of hexa- to nonaBDEs but not BDE-209 were elevated, compared to referents with no occupational exposure. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Thuresson, Kaj and Bergman, Ake and Rothenbacher, Klaus and Herrmann, Thomas and Sjolin, Sverker and Hagmar, Lars and Paepke, Olaf and Jakobsson, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{1879-1298}},
  keywords     = {{levels; blood; occupational exposure; brominated flame retardants; PBDE; BFR; analysis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1855--1861}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Chemosphere}},
  title        = {{Polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure to electronics recycling workers - a follow up study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.01.055}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.01.055}},
  volume       = {{64}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}