Occupational exposure to hexabromocyclododecane at an industrial plant.

Occupational exposure to hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) among workers at an industrial plant producing expandable polystyrene (PS) added HBCD as flame retardant has been assessed in the present study. Airborne dust samples were collected near the breathing zone of 10 male workers during three 8-h work shifts. The HBCD concentrations in the airborne dust varied from 0.2 to 150 microg/m3 (mean 12.2 and median 2.1 microg/m3). Two serum samples were obtained from each of the workers. The mean serum concentration was 190 ng/g lipids; the median was 101 ng/g lipids (range 6 to 856 ng/g lipids). HBCD was not detected above 1 ng/g lipids (LOD) in any samples from persons in a reference group with no occupational exposure to HBCD. The contribution of gamma-HBCD to the total HBCD serum concentration was notably high (39%) compared to what has usually been observed in biological samples. There was no clear correlation of serum levels with average HBCD concentrations in the airborne dust samples collected near the subjects' breathing zone. The elevated exposure levels reported in this study compared to urban air and serum levels in general populations suggest that further and more detailed exposure assessment studies should be initiated in industries where HBCD is applied.

Airborne exposure and biological monitoring of bar and restaurant workers before and after the introduction of a smoking ban.

The aims were to assess the impact of a total smoking ban on the level of airborne contaminants and the urinary cotinine levels in the employees in bars and restaurants. In a follow up design, 13 bars and restaurants were visited before and after the implementation of a smoking ban. Ninety-three employees in the establishments were initially included into the study. The arithmetic mean concentration of nicotine and total dust declined from 28.3 microg m(-3) (range, 0.4-88.0) and 262 microg m(-3) (range, 52-662), respectively, to 0.6 microg m(-3) (range, not detected-3.7) and 77 microg m(-3) (range, not detected-261) after the smoking ban. The Pearson correlation coefficient between airborne nicotine and total dust was 0.86 (p < 0.001; n = 48). The post-shift geometric mean urinary cotinine concentration declined from 9.5 microg g(-1) creatinine (cr) (95% CI 6.5-13.7) to 1.4 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 0.8-2.5) after the ban (p < 0.001) in 25 non-snuffing non-smokers. A reduction from 1444 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 957-2180) to 688 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 324-1458) was found (p < 0.05) in 29 non-snuffing smokers. The urinary cotinine levels increased from 11.7 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 7.0-19.6) post-shift to 21.9 microg g(-1) cr (95% CI 13.3-36.3) (p < 0.01) in the next morning in 24 non-snuffing non-smokers before the smoking ban. A substantial reduction of airborne nicotine and total dust was observed after the introduction of a smoking ban in bars and restaurants. The urinary cotinine levels were reduced in non-smokers. The decline found in smokers may suggest a reduction in the amount of smoking after intervention. In non-smokers cotinine concentrations were higher based on urine sampled the morning after a shift than based on urine sampled immediately post-shift.