Fang Wang1, Liuye Yang2, Bin Zhang2, Gaisheng Liu3, Chongjian Wang4, Yawei Zhang5, Tong Wang6. 1. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, 56 Xinjian Nan Road, Taiyuan, 030001, China. wfang@sxmu.edu.cn. 2. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, 56 Xinjian Nan Road, Taiyuan, 030001, China. 3. Institute of Occupational Disease Prevention and Control, Xishan Coal and Electricity Group, Taiyuan, 030053, China. 4. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China. 5. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, 06511, USA. 6. Department of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Coal miners are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of neurotoxicants formed and released during incomplete combustion of coal. High levels of anxiety and depression have been reported in coal miners, but little is known about neurobehavioral functions in populations that are occupationally exposed to PAHs. We tested neurobehavioral performance in coal miners and correlated it with levels of urinary markers of PAH exposure. METHODS: Levels of urinary PAH metabolites were measured in 652 male coal miners as an indicator of exposure. Subjects were divided into a high-exposure group and a low-exposure group based on the median level of total PAH metabolites. A neurobehavioral core test battery and a questionnaire were used to assess neurobehavioral performance and collect demographic information, respectively. RESULTS: The median level of total PAH metabolites in urine was 4.88 μmol/mol creatinine. Highly exposed workers exhibited more fatigue-inertia than less-exposed workers (p < 0.05), and had lower scores in forward digit span, digit symbol, and Benton visual retention tests (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression indicated that age, education, and shift work were significantly correlated with test scores. CONCLUSIONS: PAH exposure may be associated with neurobehavioral alterations, which should be monitored in coal miners to prevent neurobehavioral disorders.
OBJECTIVE: Coal miners are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of neurotoxicants formed and released during incomplete combustion of coal. High levels of anxiety and depression have been reported in coal miners, but little is known about neurobehavioral functions in populations that are occupationally exposed to PAHs. We tested neurobehavioral performance in coal miners and correlated it with levels of urinary markers of PAH exposure. METHODS: Levels of urinary PAH metabolites were measured in 652 male coal miners as an indicator of exposure. Subjects were divided into a high-exposure group and a low-exposure group based on the median level of total PAH metabolites. A neurobehavioral core test battery and a questionnaire were used to assess neurobehavioral performance and collect demographic information, respectively. RESULTS: The median level of total PAH metabolites in urine was 4.88 μmol/mol creatinine. Highly exposed workers exhibited more fatigue-inertia than less-exposed workers (p < 0.05), and had lower scores in forward digit span, digit symbol, and Benton visual retention tests (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression indicated that age, education, and shift work were significantly correlated with test scores. CONCLUSIONS:PAH exposure may be associated with neurobehavioral alterations, which should be monitored in coal miners to prevent neurobehavioral disorders.
Authors: Varvara Minina; Anna Timofeeva; Anastasya Torgunakova; Olga Soboleva; Marina Bakanova; Yana Savchenko; Elena Voronina; Andrey Glushkov; Alexander Prosekov; Aleksandra Fucic Journal: Life (Basel) Date: 2022-02-09