TY - JOUR

T1 - Correlation of levels of volatile versus carcinogenic particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air samples from smokehouses

AU - Hansen, Åse Marie

AU - Poulsen, O M

AU - Christensen, J M

PY - 1991

Y1 - 1991

N2 - In the present study, data on the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in air samples from fish smokehouses (Nordholm et al. 1986) and meat smokehouses (Hansen et al. submitted for publication) were used to analyze the extent to which six different volatile PAH compounds could function as markers for the total concentration of six different carcinogenic particulate PAH compounds. Although a significant positive correlation was observed between the concentration of each of six volatile compounds and the total concentration of carcinogenic PAH compounds, a particularly good correlation was observed for phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene. Calculations of the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of these potential markers revealed that naphthalene and phenanthrene exhibited the highest sensitivity as markers for total carcinogenic PAH compounds in air samples from smokehouses, whereas fluoranthene and pyrene displayed the highest specificity. However, when the applicability of the six markers was tested on air samples from iron foundries, only naphthalene and pyrene were useful as markers for the carcinogenic compounds. The present study indicates that naphthalene and pyrene might function as markers for carcinogenic PAH compounds, that are present at low concentrations and are therefore difficult and time-consuming to measure directly.

AB - In the present study, data on the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in air samples from fish smokehouses (Nordholm et al. 1986) and meat smokehouses (Hansen et al. submitted for publication) were used to analyze the extent to which six different volatile PAH compounds could function as markers for the total concentration of six different carcinogenic particulate PAH compounds. Although a significant positive correlation was observed between the concentration of each of six volatile compounds and the total concentration of carcinogenic PAH compounds, a particularly good correlation was observed for phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene. Calculations of the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of these potential markers revealed that naphthalene and phenanthrene exhibited the highest sensitivity as markers for total carcinogenic PAH compounds in air samples from smokehouses, whereas fluoranthene and pyrene displayed the highest specificity. However, when the applicability of the six markers was tested on air samples from iron foundries, only naphthalene and pyrene were useful as markers for the carcinogenic compounds. The present study indicates that naphthalene and pyrene might function as markers for carcinogenic PAH compounds, that are present at low concentrations and are therefore difficult and time-consuming to measure directly.

KW - Air Pollutants, Occupational

KW - Carcinogens

KW - Environmental Monitoring

KW - Humans

KW - Meat-Packing Industry

KW - Metallurgy

KW - Naphthalenes

KW - Polycyclic Compounds

KW - Predictive Value of Tests

KW - Pyrenes

KW - Sensitivity and Specificity

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 1743766

VL - 63

SP - 247

EP - 252

JO - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

JF - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

SN - 0340-0131

IS - 4

ER -