Evaluation of the exposure of underground electric utility workers to polychlorinated biphenyls
This study assesses the health effects of underground electric utility workers who, by nature of their jobs, may have had the greatest potential for long-term exposure to PCBs found in the utility industry. The serum PCB levels of these workers ranged from 1 to 31 ppb with an arithmetic mean of 7.78 ppb, compared to the matched, nonoccupationally exposed, control population arithmetic mean of 3.56. This indicates that the workers did in fact experience exposures significantly higher than likely to be found in non-occupational settings. Even though exposure was found to be long-term, serum PCBs did not demonstrate a significant correlation with age or work experience. The correlation between serum PCB levels and liver enzymes was very weak at best even though several of the exposed population had elevated enzymes. A correlation was found between serum PCB levels and triglycerides. Other blood and urine chemistries showed no abnormalities that could be directly associated with either exposure to PCBs or with any disease process as a result of exposure to PCBs. The physical examinations were unremarkable with regard to symptoms or disease processes either caused or potentially caused by exposures to PCBs.
- Research Organization:
- Oklahoma Univ., Oklahoma City, OK (USA). Health Sciences Center
- OSTI ID:
- 5153870
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Clinical and metabolic abnormalities associated with occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Clinical and metabolic abnormalities associated with occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
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CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HEALTH HAZARDS
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
PERSONNEL
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
BLOOD SERUM
CORRELATIONS
ENZYMES
LIVER
TRIGLYCERIDES
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BODY
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GLANDS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
LIPIDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
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552000 - Public Health