Assessing Cancer Risk of Coal-Fired Power Plant Workers Exposed to PAHs

Abstract

To study the relationship between the concentration of urinary 1-OH-Py, 3-OH-BaP and the degree as well as the pathways of human exposure to PAHs, we collected 24-hour air, dietary and urine samples of 60 oven workers in a coal-fired power plant of Central China and 60 people in a general group not exposed to such PAHs in 2011. The concentrations of eight strong carcinogenic PAHs in air and dietary samples, and the concentrations of the urinary 1-OH-Py and 3-OH-BaP were determined. By studying the pathways of human exposure to PAHs, it is found that the main reason for coal-fired power plant workers' high cancer risk is the exposure to PAHs by breathing contaminated air, while the degree of exposure to PAHs through diet is similar to that of the general group. In order to reduce coal-fired power plant workers' cancer risk, occupational protection should be strengthened, and the working environment should be improved.