Detection of benzo[a]pyrene-DNA adducts in leukocytes of coke oven workers.

Coke oven workers are often heavily exposed to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and particularly to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), which has been associated with a high incidence of cancer. B[a]P is metabolically activated to its diol-epoxide derivative, benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE-I), a potent carcinogen which binds covalently to DNA, thereby producing BPDE-I-DNA adducts. In this study, an investigation was made of the exposure of coke oven workers to PAH via the measurement of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) levels, and of exposure to B[a]P by the analysis of BPDE-I-DNA adducts in leukocytes using an ELISA competitive immunoassay. 1-OHP levels measured in post-shift samples correlated with those of DNA adducts detected in leukocytes, with a mean value (140.11 fM/50 micrograms of DNA) which differed significantly from the control value (P < 0.001). It is concluded that measurement of BPDE-I-DNA adduct levels in coke plant workers is essential in determining cancer risk due to high exposure to PAHs, and in particular of B[a]P.