| 10433183 |
Selden AI, Floderus Y, Bodin LS, Westberg HB, Thunell S: Porphyrin status in aluminum foundry workers exposed to hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene. Arch Environ Health. 1999 Jul-Aug;54(4):248-53.
The possible interference of hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene (i.e., thermal byproducts from hexachloroethane in aluminum degassing) with porphyrin metabolism was investigated in exposed workers. Urine specimens from 9 male aluminum foundry workers (i.e., smelters) at 6 different companies and from 18 controls-matched for sex, age, residence, and socioeconomic status-were analyzed for total porphyrins and porphyrin isomers. Workers exposed to hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene had a statistically significant increase in urinary total porphyrins, compared with controls (mean +/- standard deviation: 13.63 +/- 11.13 micromol/mol creatinine and 6.24 +/- 3.84 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively; p = .02). The authors attributed the results mainly to differences in excretion of coproporphyrins-notably coproporphyrin III. Erythrocyte uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity was similar in both groups. There was a high correlation between levels of hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene, respectively, in plasma and urinary excretion of porphyrins; these findings, however, relied heavily on 1 subject for whom extreme values were obtained. The results indicated that occupational exposure to hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene in aluminum degassing with hexachloroethane may affect porphyrin metabolism in a manner consistent with early secondary coproporphyrinuria-the first recognized step in the development of chronic hepatic porphyria. It was also noted that changes remained detectable some years after exposure ceased. |
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