Hygienic evaluation of conditions triggering leading factors in cancerogenic risk in industries utilizing pitch and pitch-containing carbonaceous substances
Sokolov, A.D.
Vestnik Rossiiskoi Akademii Meditsinskikh Nauk 3: 25-32
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0869-6047 PMID: 15108373 Document Number: 583963
The case-study results reveal a co-carcinogenic ability of carbonaceous dusts and cokes used in productions involving pitch and pitch-containing substances. Maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of 6 mg/m3 as approved by GN 2.2.5.686-98 for carbon dust (coal-, sand-, pitch-, oil- and shale cokes) was adopted only on the basis of data characterizing its fibrogenic activity and without respect to its co-carcinogenic action. There is a lack of hygienic norms for carcinogenic pitch dusts in the Russian hygienic legislation. Our research denote convincingly the need in a hygienic standardization of pitch and (polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbons)-containing carbonaceous dusts with due respect to their carcinogenic activity, whose indicator could be the quantity of benzapilene (BP) contained in them. On the basis of the results the below MPCs can be suggested: coal pitch with BP of up to 15000.0 mg/kg-0.01 mg/m3; oil pitch with BP equal to or below 1500.0 mg/kg-0.1 mg/m3; BP-containing carbon dusts--equal to or below 150.0-1.0 mg/m3, which is in line with the MPC approved in the Russian Federation for BP--0.15 micron/m3. The introduction of the above hygienic norms is needed to ensure an effective sanitary monitoring for the purpose of preventing an occupation carcinogenic hazard in productions with pitch and pitch-containing carbonaceous substances.