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Objective-This study was undertaken to assess whether contaminated personal clothing worn beneath a coverall (normal workwear) is a source of potentially significant dermal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coal liquefaction workers. Methods-An intervention study was conducted over a two week period involving 10 workers that reflected the range of activities performed at the factory. A cross over design was used to examine the influence of normal workwear (personal clothing worn beneath a coverall) and intervention workwear (new coverall, shirt, trousers, underwear, socks, and boots) upon excretion of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and skin pad deposition of pyrene. Results-The impact of intervention was noted in three ways: (1) A notable reduction (55%) in the mass of 1-OHP excreted on the first day of the intervention phase was found. The median reduction in mass excreted (22.7 nmol) was significant from zero at the 5% level; (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 9*5-40-8 nmol).(2) A notable reduction (82%) in skin pad deposition of pyrene on the first day of the intervention phase was found. The median reduction of 13.20 ng.cm 2 was significant from zero at the 5% level; (95% CI 7-3-26-4 ng.cm-2). (3) About a 50% reduction in 1-OHP concentration over the working week occurred during the intervention phase; an increase of 2-07 ,umollmol creatinine was found from the start to the end of the work period during the intervention phase compared with an increase of 4-06 umol/mol creatinine during the normal phase. This reduction was not significant at the 5% level. Conclusion-The results indicate that on the first day of the working week investigated, significant reductions in absorbtion (as measured by excretion of urinary 1-OHP) and deposition of PAHs (as measured by skin pad deposition of pyrene) can be effected by improvements in workwear policy. The impact of the improved workwear regimen was also detected by reduction in spot urinary l-OHP concentrations, although this effect was less pronounced. One implication of the findings is that exposure to PAHs may arise from workers' own contaminated personal clothing. As a consequence of this study an improved workwear policy has been implemented at the factory. (Occup Environ Med 1995;52:600-605)

This study was undertaken to assess the suitability of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPyr) as a biological marker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure in coal liquefaction workers. This is believed to be the first evaluation of the method in coal liquefaction workers. Ten workers were selected from a group of 30 workers considered likely to be at risk of contamination from PAHs by virtue of their jobs. Spot urine samples were collected at the start of a work period and at the end of each work shift, with analysis of 1-OHPyr being undertaken by high-performance liquid chromatography linked to a fluorescence detector. Exposure was assessed by the completion of questionnaires. Excretion of 1-OHPyr increased significantly over the working period, and there was a significant increase in 1-OHPyr where start-shift and end-shift samples were taken over one shift. A significant decrease in 1-OHPyr was found during breaks away from work.

An ecological risk assessment (ERA) was conducted as part of the Baseline Risk Assessment of the Remedial Investigation (FU) for the Baxter SpringsiTreece subsites, Cherokee County, Kansas Superfimd site, a former metals mining site. Chemicals of potential concern were heavy metals associated with mine wastes and with base metal ore deposits that were characteristic of this area. An EPA-approved method was used to developed site-specific ambient water quality criteria. Ecological impacts were assessed using three complimentary approaches. First, potential chronic impacts were assessed by applying the toxicity quotient approach (i.e., a comparison of the measured concentration of site-related metals in surface water with calculated site-specific health-based criteria). Secondly, semi-quantitative comparative ecology data were used to provide a direct measure of impacts to key species. Finally, data on other factors (e.g., acclimation and tolerance evolution) that may affect the bioavailability and toxicity of site-related metals were also considered. Information from these three sources were used to obtain a realistic picture of actual and potential population-and community-level effects associated with exposure to mining-related metals.~ KEY WORDS: Aquatic toxicity; metals; ecological risk assessment; site-specific ambient water quality criteria.