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TCDD exposure estimation for workers at a New Zealand 2,4,5-T manufacturing facility based on serum sampling data

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 20, pages 417–426 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Employment in the manufacture of the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) is associated with potential exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and elevated serum lipid TCDD concentrations can be measured in workers for decades after terminated occupational exposure. As part of an epidemiological study of 1599 workers employed at a facility in New Plymouth, New Zealand that manufactured 2,4,5-T, serum TCDD concentrations measured in blood samples from 346 workers were used with work history records and a simple pharmacokinetic model in a linear regression to estimate dose rates associated with specific job exposure groups at the facility. The model was used to estimate serum TCDD concentration profiles over time for each individual in the full study group and accounted for 30% of the observed variance in TCDD concentrations in the serum donor subgroup. The model underestimated measured concentrations substantially for eleven individuals in the study group; examination of questionnaire data revealed a variety of activities apart from routine employment at the facility that may have contributed to the measured serum TCDD concentrations. Estimated serum TCDD concentrations were below 300 p.p.t. for all individuals in the cohort over the entire study time period, lower than estimates for other 2,4,5-T worker populations. This finding is consistent with occupational medicine records, which indicated that no cases of chloracne were ever diagnosed among workers employed on the site. The modeled exposures will be used in an evaluation of mortality patterns of workers at this facility.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the current and former workers who donated their blood and time to this study. We also thank AgriQuality (now AsureQuality) for the dioxin serum analysis, Trium Environmental Solutions Inc. for auditing the laboratory's work, total risk management, and corporate risks for arranging the blood collection, and Wellington Pathology for collecting, storing, and delivering the blood to the laboratory. A science advisory panel of Dr. Elizabeth Delzell, University of Alabama, USA; Professor Des Gorman, Auckland University, New Zealand; Dr. Rhonda Rosengren, University of Otago, New Zealand; Professor Sir John Scott (retired) Auckland University, New Zealand; and Professor Thomas Sorahan, University of Birmingham, England, provided scientific input into this study. This study conduct was pursuant to review and oversight by the Central Regional Ethics Committee in New Zealand and The Dow Chemical Company's Human Subjects Review Board in Midland, Michigan, USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Summit Toxicology, LLP, Falls Church, VA, USA

    Lesa L Aylward

  2. The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI, USA

    Kenneth M Bodner, James J Collins, Michael Wilken & Carol J Burns

  3. Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

    David Mcbride

  4. Summit Toxicology, LLP, Allenspark, CO, USA

    Sean M Hays

  5. Dow Chemical (Australia) Ltd, Altona, Victoria, Australia

    Noel Humphry

Authors
  1. Lesa L Aylward
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  2. Kenneth M Bodner
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  3. James J Collins
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  4. Michael Wilken
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  5. David Mcbride
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  6. Carol J Burns
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  7. Sean M Hays
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  8. Noel Humphry
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Correspondence to Lesa L Aylward.

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Competing interests

This study was conducted cooperatively by scientists from the University of Otago, The Dow Chemical Company, and Summit Toxicology and was funded by The Dow Chemical Company, which owns and operates the plant that is the subject of the study.

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Aylward, L., Bodner, K., Collins, J. et al. TCDD exposure estimation for workers at a New Zealand 2,4,5-T manufacturing facility based on serum sampling data. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 20, 417–426 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2009.31

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