Chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and biphenyl profiles of workers with trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol exposures

We examined the serum lipid adjusted levels of 2,3,7,8-substituted chlorinated dioxins and furans, and four coplanar PCBs for 98 workers. We found workers who worked only in the trichlorophenol units had mean lipid adjusted 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels of 36.8 ppt significantly higher (p < 0.05) than 6.0 ppt in the reference group. Workers who worked only in the pentachlorophenol units had mean lipid adjusted levels for 123478-HxCDD of 14.8 ppt, 123678-HxCDD of 156.4 ppt,123789-HxCDD of 23.7 ppt, 1234678-HpCDD of 234.6 ppt, and OCDD of 2,778.2 ppt significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the reference group levels for the same congeners of 7.5, 71.8, 8.0, 67.5, and 483.2 ppt, respectively. While we did find 12378-PeCDD levels higher than the reference group in trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol workers, the differences are small, and could be attributed to normal variation. All furan levels among the trichlorophenol or pentachlorophenol only workers were not significantly different than the reference group. Workers with both trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol exposures had mean dioxin levels consistent with complex chlorophenol exposures. Tradesmen who worked throughout the plant had congener profiles consistent with both trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol exposures. PCB 169, 23478-PeCDF, 123478-HxCDF, and 123678-HxCDF levels were also significantly greater (p < 0.05) in these tradesmen than in the reference group. We found distinct patterns of dioxin congeners many years after exposure among workers with different chlorophenol exposures. We were effectively able to distinguish past trichlorophenol exposures from pentachlorophenol exposures based on differing serum dioxin profiles among workers.