Lower chlorinated PCBs accumulate in demolition workers while working on a contaminated worksite

• Published in: Environment international 2024-11, Vol.193, p.109076, Article 109076
• Main Authors: Hammel, Stephanie C., Schlünssen, Vivi, Hope, David, Dereviankin, Mike, Sandau, Courtney D., Hougaard, Karin Sørig, Meyer, Harald W., Kines, Pete, Jensen, Keld Alstrup, Frederiksen, Marie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomonitoring; Inadvertent PCBs; Mixture; Occupational exposure; Persistent organic pollutants; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Serum
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109076

[Display omitted] •Two-year biomonitoring study with demolition workers at a PCB-contaminated site.•209 congeners in serum were compared to general demolition and office workers.•Demolition workers on PCB-site had elevated lower chlorinated PCBs after 1 year.•Age was a significant predictor of increases in serum PCBs. Several buildings in a Danish social housing estate exceeded indoor air guidance values for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), leading to their demolition. Here, we conducted a biomonitoring study among the workers on-site (n = 24) to evaluate their exposure to all 209 PCBs across the two-year demolition. We compared their PCB serum concentrations and accumulation to those of demolition workers at other worksites (n = 21) and office workers (n = 17). Demolition workers were provided with personal protective equipment according to risk assessments for PCB-related work. Serum PCBs were measured from baseline and up to two annual follow-up visits using gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry. Forty-six peaks representing 58 PCBs were detected in > 60 % of serum samples; eight congeners were found in every sample. PCB-153 was the most abundant congener (median = 22.1 ng/g lipid). After adjusting for age and smoking status, demolition workers after one year on the contaminated site experienced more than a four-fold increase in all lower chlorinated PCBs compared to office workers at baseline, with increases most prominent for tri- and tetra-CBs (10β = 6.2 and 9.2, p