Exposure Assessment of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers for Workers of Electronics Recycling Plant

• Main Authors: Hao Chang, 張豪
• Other Authors: Mei-Lien Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/20285739068173489782

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 環境與職業衛生研究所 === 97 === Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have the characteristics of persistence and bioaccumulation. They are widely used in electronics, synthetic plastic materials and textiles to retard ignition. Recently, concerns about thyroid function disturbance, endocrine disruption as well as carcinogenicity make PBDEs one of the most concerned pollutants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the PBDEs serum levels in workers of an electronics recycling plant. Forty-seven participants were divided into four groups – administration workers (reference group), supervisors, technicians, and dismantling and sorting workers. The serum samples were cleanup by two-stage solid phase extraction, including acidic silica gel and acidic aluminum oxide columns. Then, the samples were measured by GC/MS. Eight PBDE congeners including BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183, and BDE-209 were quantified in serum. We found that the levels of all PBDEs congeners in serum of high-exposed workers (supervisors, technicians, and dismantling and sorting workers) were significantly higher than those in reference group. Concentrations of congeners with a high number of bromine substitutes- BDE-209s in exposure group were particularly high. The concentrations of PBDEs were the highest in the blood of sorting workers (geometric mean, 102.33 ng/g lipid) , followed by the supervisors, technicians, and the reference group administration workers(not detectable). In contrast, for BDE-28, BDE-47 and BDE-99 there was no difference between the exposure- and non-exposure groups. Of the eight PBDEs congeners, BDE-100 was most commonly detected while BDE-183 was not detected in any of the subjects. Though the biological half-life of BDE-209 was shorter than other BDEs, the present study found its high concentrations in the blood of the recycling plant workers. It implies that workers might expose to BDE-209 continuously. The PBDEs levels in workers who used respirator a longer will be significantly lower than the workers who use respirator shorter. It shows that using respirators can reduce the PBDEs exposure. Therefore we suggest that strengthen measures of workplace management and personal protection are needed.