Objective To determine if serum dioxin levels are higher among trichlorophenol (TCP) or pentachlorophenol (PCP) workers with and without chloracne and to examine characteristics of workers with chloracne.
Methods We collected blood from 26 PCP workers, 12 TCP workers, and 36 workers with no PCP or TCP exposure and measured dioxin levels. Chloracne was determined by examining plant medical records.
Results We observed higher serum levels of the toxic equivalency (according to the World Health Organization) based on 2378-TCDD for 12378-PeCDD, 123678-H6CDD, 123789-H6CDD, and 123678-H6CDF among the PCP workers with chloracne compared to the PCP workers with no chloracne. There were no significant differences in serum levels for the TCP workers by chloracne status, although the 2378-TCDD levels were higher among the participants who previously had chloracne (43.6 ppt vs. 16.4 ppt). The putative risk factors for chloracne of younger age at first exposure and more years since first exposure were observed in the TCP workers but not the PCP workers. Chloracne in the PCP workers was associated with longer duration of exposure prior to the diagnosis.
Conclusion Chloracne is a good indicator for high dioxin exposures, and TCP and PCP workers have distinctively different serum profiles of dioxin congeners.
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