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2075468 
Journal Article 
The Elimination of 1-Hydroxypyrene in the Urine of the General Population and Workers with Different Occupational Exposures to PAH 
Goen, T; Gundel, J; Schaller K-H; Angerer, J 
1995 
1 
Science of the Total Environment
ISSN: 0048-9697
EISSN: 1879-1026 
NIOSH/00225678 
163 
0 
195-201 
English 
A study was conducted on occupational exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) by comparing urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (5315797) levels among workers in different occupations. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels were measured in groups of German residents with known occupational PAH exposures and unexposed referents. The urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels among the nonexposed referents never exceeded 2 micrograms/gram (microg/g) creatinine. Increased values were seen in smokers compared with nonsmokers. No 1-hydroxypyrene could be detected in approximately 70% of nonsmoking referents while only between 10% and 50% of smoking referents had urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels that were below the detection limit. Wide ranges of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene values were seen in PAH exposed workers. The highest median values were seen for workers producing carbon electrodes. These values ranged from 11.3 to 24.5microg/g. Median values seen in other groups of exposed workers were 8.2microg/g for road stone impregnation workers, 8.1microg/g for aluminum smelting factory workers, 0.85microg/g for glass workers, and 0.70microg/g for chimney sweeps. The values obtained for meat processing and waste incineration facility workers were comparable with those obtained for the general population.