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Zhang Z, Shi W, Ru L, Lv W. Biomarkers of occupational benzene exposure: A Systematic Review to estimate the exposure levels and individual susceptibility at low doses. Toxicol Ind Health 2024:7482337241259053. [PMID: 38864232 DOI: 10.1177/07482337241259053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Benzene is associated with diverse occupational and public health hazards. It exhibits an ability to rapidly permeate the skin and contaminate water and food sources, leading to dermal and ingestion exposures. Despite numerous studies examining the associations between benzene and various indicators of harm, the findings have yielded inconsistent results. Furthermore, relying solely on air concentration as a measure of benzene exposure is limited, as it fails to account for internal exposure dose and individual susceptibility. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review in order to present current knowledge on benzene biomarkers and their significance in evaluating exposure levels and associated health hazards. The search methodology adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and involved the application of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria across multiple databases including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Two researchers independently extracted and evaluated the relevant data based on predetermined criteria. Following the screening process, a total of 80 articles were considered eligible out of the initially retrieved 1053 articles after undergoing screening and assessment for inclusion. As the level of exposure decreased, specific biomarkers demonstrated a gradual increase in limitations, including heightened background concentrations and vulnerability to confounding factors. The advancement of sampling and analysis techniques will yield new biomarkers. Additionally, when conducting practical work, it is crucial to employ a comprehensive utilization of diverse biomarkers while excluding individual metabolic variations and combined exposure factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijuan Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenmin Shi
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lihua Ru
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Lv
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
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Rahimpoor R, Jalilian H, Mohammadi H, Rahmani A. Biological exposure indices of occupational exposure to benzene: A systematic review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21576. [PMID: 38027568 PMCID: PMC10660043 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study aimed to systematically review the studies concerning the biological monitoring of benzene exposure in occupational settings. A systematic literature review was conducted in Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Medline from 1985 through July 2021. We included peer-reviewed original articles that investigated the association between occupational exposure to benzene and biological monitoring. We identified 4786 unique citations, of which 64 cross-sectional, one case-control, and one cohort study met our inclusion criteria. The most studied biomarkers were urinary trans-trans muconic acid, S- phenyl mercapturic acid, and urinary benzene, respectively. We found the airborne concentration of benzene as a key indicator for choosing a suitable biomarker. We suggest considering urinary benzene at low (0.5-5.0 TLV), urinary SPMA and TTMA at medium (5.0-25 and 25-50 TLV, respectively), and urinary phenol and hydroquinone and catechol at very high concentrations (500 and 1000 TLV ≤, respectively). Genetic polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase and oral intake of sorbic acid have confounding effects on the level of U-SPMA and U-TTMA, respectively. The airborne concentration, smoking habit, oral consumption of sorbic acid, and genetic polymorphism of workers should be considered in order to choose the appropriate indicator for biological monitoring of benzene exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razzagh Rahimpoor
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
| | - Hamed Jalilian
- School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Heidar Mohammadi
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
| | - Abdulrasoul Rahmani
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
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Boogaard PJ. Human biomonitoring of low-level benzene exposures. Crit Rev Toxicol 2023; 52:799-810. [PMID: 36880454 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2023.2175642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Historically, benzene has been widely used in a large variety of applications. Occupational exposure limits (OELs) were set for benzene as it was found to be acutely toxic, causing central nervous system depression at high exposures. OELs were lowered when it was discovered that chronic exposure to benzene could cause haematotoxicity. After confirmation that benzene is a human carcinogen causing acute myeloid leukaemia and possibly other blood malignancies, OEL were further lowered. The industrial application of benzene as solvent is almost completely discontinued but it is still used as feedstock for the production of other materials, such as styrene. Occupational exposure to benzene may also occur since it is present in crude oil, natural gas condensate and a variety of petroleum products and because benzene can be formed in combustion of organic material. In the past few years, lower OELs for benzene in the range of 0.05-0.25 ppm have been proposed or were already established to protect workers from benzene-induced cancer. The skin is an important potential route of exposure and relatively more important at lower OELs. Consequently, human biomonitoring - which integrates all exposure routes - is routinely applied to control overall exposure to benzene. Several potential biomarkers have been proposed and investigated. For compliance check of the current low OELs, urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA), urinary benzene and blood benzene are feasible biomarkers. S-PMA appears to be the most promising biomarker but proper validation of biomarker levels corresponding to airborne benzene concentrations below 0.25 ppm are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Boogaard
- AFSG - Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Forsell K, Björ O, Eriksson H, Järvholm B, Nilsson R, Andersson E. Cancer incidence in a cohort of Swedish merchant seafarers between 1985 and 2011. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2022; 95:1103-1111. [PMID: 34997857 PMCID: PMC9203388 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-021-01828-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Lung cancer, mesothelioma and several lifestyle-associated cancer forms have been reported more common in merchant seafarers. However, few studies reflect recent occupational settings and women seafarers are usually too scarce for meaningful analyses. We conducted a study on cancer incidence between 1985 and 2011 in a Swedish cohort consisting of male and female seafarers. Methods All seafarers in the Swedish Seafarers’ Register with at least one sea service between 1985 and 2011 and a cumulated sea service time of ≥ 30 days (N = 75,745; 64% men, 36% women; 1,245,691 person-years) were linked to the Swedish Cancer Register and followed-up until 31 December 2011. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated with the general population as reference. Results There were 4159 cancer cases in total, with 3221 among men and 938 among women. Male seafarers had an increased risk of total cancer (SIR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01–1.09), lung cancer (SIR 1.51; 95% CI 1.35–1.67) and urinary bladder cancer (SIR 1.17; 95% CI 1.02–1.33). Several lifestyle-associated cancer forms were more common in men. Previous work on tankers was associated with leukaemia (SIR 1.41; 95% CI 1.00–1.86). The risk of cancer decreased with a start as a male seafarer after 1985, with a significant trend for total cancer (P < 0.001), lung cancer (P = 0.001) and, for tanker seafarers, leukaemia (P = 0.045). Women seafarers had an increased risk of lung cancer (SIR 1.54; 95% CI 1.23–1.87) but the risk of total cancer was not increased (SIR 0.83; 95% CI 0.78–0.89). Conclusions In this cohort of merchant Swedish seafarers 1985–2011, the risk of total cancer was increased in men but not in women compared to the general population. Lung cancer was increased in both genders. The risk of cancer seems to decrease over the last decades, but better exposure assessments to occupational carcinogens and longer observation times are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Forsell
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umea University, Umea, Sweden.
| | - Ove Björ
- Department of Radiation Science, Oncology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Helena Eriksson
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Järvholm
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Ralph Nilsson
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eva Andersson
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Wang GT, Zhang MY, Chen X, Lu ZW, Fan BT, Li KL, Yang J, Duan SL, Yang CB, Zou P. Highly selective and sensitive lanthanoids coordination polymers sensors for trans, trans-muconic acid, a biomarker of benzene. Polyhedron 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2020.114728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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De Maria L, Ledda C, Caputi A, Mansi F, Cannone ESS, Sponselli S, Cavone D, Birtolo F, Cannizzaro E, Ferri GM, Rapisarda V, Vimercati L. Biological Monitoring of Exposure to Benzene in Port Workers. Front Public Health 2020; 8:271. [PMID: 32766192 PMCID: PMC7379907 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Port workers are exposed to a wide range of occupational hazards that can cause injuries and occupational diseases. Among these, exposure to benzene is one of the most important but least studied. The highest occupational exposures for port workers occur during the filling and loading of gasoline, and cleaning of tanks and receptacles. The aim of the study was to evaluate occupational exposure to low levels of benzene by measuring trans,trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) in urine samples from workers operating at fuelling stations in a tourist port of Southern Italy. The overall sample was composed of 43 port workers of a tourist port in Southern Italy. In 2018, each participant provided two (morning and evening) urine samples for the determination of urinary t,t-MA. Urinary excretion of t,t-MA was always higher at the end of the work shift than at the beginning with significant difference (p = 0.002). In smokers, median t,t-MA urinary excretion is higher than non-smokers both at the beginning (90.5 μg/g creatinine vs. 61.45 μg/g creatinine) and at the end of the work shift (128.2 μg/g creatinine vs. 89.5 μg/g creatinine). Urinary excretion of t,t-MA is higher at the end of the work shift than at the beginning in both smokers and non-smokers, but the difference is significantly higher in non-smokers (p = 0.003) than in smokers (p = 0.05). In conclusion, our results showed that the role of inhaled benzene at fuelling stations in a tourist port can be relevant. On the basis of these results and the known adverse effects of benzene on human health, we encourage the use of personal protective equipment in the fuelling area of ports in order to minimize exposure to benzene to workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi De Maria
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Caterina Ledda
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Occupational Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Caputi
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Mansi
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Enza Sabrina Silvana Cannone
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Sponselli
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Domenica Cavone
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Birtolo
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cannizzaro
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities “Giuseppe D'Alessandro”, Occupational Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Maria Ferri
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Venerando Rapisarda
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Occupational Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Luigi Vimercati
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Section of Occupational Medicine “B.Ramazzini”, School of Medicine, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, Italy
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