Occupational exposure and markers of genetic damage, systemic inflammation and lung function: a Danish cross-sectional study among air force personnel

Abstract

Air force ground crew personnel are potentially exposed to fuels and lubricants, as raw materials, vapours and combustion exhaust emissions, during operation and maintenance of aircrafts. This study investigated exposure levels and biomarkers of effects for employees at a Danish air force military base. We enrolled self-reported healthy and non-smoking employees (n = 79) and grouped them by exposure based on job function, considered to be potentially exposed (aircraft engineers, crew chiefs, fuel operators and munition specialists) or as reference group with minimal occupational exposure (avionics and office workers). We measured exposure levels to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs) by silicone bands and skin wipes (PAHs only) as well as urinary excretion of PAH metabolites (OH-PAHs). Additionally, we assessed exposure levels of ultrafine particles (UFPs) in the breathing zone for specific job functions. As biomarkers of effect, we assessed lung function, plasma levels of acute phase inflammatory markers, and genetic damage levels in peripheral blood cells. Exposure levels of total PAHs, OPEs and OH-PAHs did not differ between exposure groups or job functions, with low correlations between PAHs in different matrices. Among the measured job functions, the UFP levels were higher for the crew chiefs. The exposure level of the PAH fluorene was significantly higher for the exposed group than the reference group (15.9 ± 23.7 ng/g per 24 h vs 5.28 ± 7.87 ng/g per 24 h, p = 0.007), as was the OPE triphenyl phosphate (305 ± 606 vs 19.7 ± 33.8 ng/g per 24 h, p = 0.011). The OPE tris(1,3-dichlor-2-propyl)phosphate had a higher mean in the exposed group (60.7 ± 135 ng/g per 24 h) compared to the reference group (8.89 ± 15.7 ng/g per 24 h) but did not reach significance. No evidence of effects for biomarkers of systemic inflammation, genetic damage or lung function was found. Overall, our biomonitoring study show limited evidence of occupational exposure of air force ground crew personnel to UFPs, PAHs and OPEs. Furthermore, the OH-PAHs and the assessed biomarkers of early biological effects did not differ between exposed and reference groups.

Silicone wristbands as personal passive sampling devices: Current knowledge, recommendations for use, and future directions

“…Both of the metabolites of TDCIPP and TCIPP have fairly high ICCs ( Bastiaensen et al, 2021 ) compared to other metabolites of similar half-lives but much lower ICCs (DPHP included), providing an explanation why correlations between wristband OPEs and their metabolites have been observed more frequently than those with phthalates and PAHs. While one study reported weak correlations between PAHs in wristbands and spot urine samples in air force workers ( Andersen et al, 2021 ), another reported statistically significant correlations between six PAHs detected in the wristband and urinary metabolites in pregnant women ( Dixon et al, 2018 ). Similarly, positive and statistically significant, but relatively low to moderate, relationships were observed among children to environmental phenols (specifically BPA, triclosan, and three parabens) and 4 phthalates and phthalate replacements ( Hammel et al, 2020 ; Levasseur et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Alternative configurations that have not been directly compared to the standard sampler (i.e., a wristband worn on a wrist) include wristbands worn as air samplers on participants with no dermal contact aside from brooches/lapels ( Aerts et al, 2018 ; Bullock et al, 2020 ; Mendoza-Sanchez et al, 2021 ; Swanson et al, 2018 ; Andersen et al, 2021 ), silicone military-style dog tags worn around the neck ( Poutasse et al, 2022 ; Poutasse et al, 2020 ), and pet tags ( Wise et al, 2020 ; Wise et al, 2021 ; Poutasse et al, 2019 ). Two studies have utilized PDMS tubing to create silicone wristbands and anklets, but these studies were not concerned with environmental chemical exposure ( Roodt et al, 2018 ; Wooding et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Lastly, significant positive and negative associations existed between several PBDEs, and NFRs concentration and free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) ( Wang et al, 2020 ). Two other studies focused on occupational exposure of aircraft workers, which included evaluating the association between OPE exposure with cholinesterase inhibition ( Hardos et al, 2020 ), and evaluating OPE as well as PAH exposure on lung function, systemic inflammation, and genetic damage ( Andersen et al, 2021 ); but in both instances significant associations were not seen.…”

HBM4EU Chromates Study—Genotoxicity and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Workers Exposed to Hexavalent Chromium

“…The MN assay in transferrin-positive peripheral blood RET was performed according to the method that was developed by Abramsson-Zetterberg et al [35] as previously described [39]. Briefly, the whole blood samples were processed within 7 days after collection and transferrin-positive (+CD71) RET were isolated by immunomagnetic separation according to the instructions of the CELLection™ Pan Mouse IgG Kit (Invitrogen, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA), using a FITC Mouse Anti-human CD71 antibody (BD Biosciences, San Jose, CA, USA).…”

“…It is a sensitive high-throughput method with high potential in biomonitoring studies [35]. The method has been previously used for studying the potential genotoxicity of pesticides [36], disinfection by-products [37], industrial pollution [38], and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) [39]. As application of flow cytometry allows for the rapid analysis of large amounts of cells, the method also has benefits compared to microscopically analyzed endpoints which suffer from the limited number of reasonably countable cells and potential individual differences in analyzing cells [40].…”