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Relationship between cardiopulmonary mortality and cancer risk and quantitative exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fluorides, and dust in two prebake aluminum smelters

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Abstract

Objectives

We examined the risk of mortality and cancer incidence with quantitative exposure to benzene-soluble fraction (BSF), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), fluoride, and inhalable dust in two Australian prebake smelters.

Methods

A total of 4,316 male smelter workers were linked to mortality and cancer incidence registries and followed from 1983 through 2002 (mean follow-up: 15.9 years, maximum: 20 years). Internal comparisons using Poisson regression were undertaken based on quantitative exposure levels.

Results

Smoking-adjusted, monotonic relationships were observed between respiratory cancer and cumulative inhalable dust exposure (trend p = 0.1), cumulative fluoride exposure (p = 0.1), and cumulative BaP exposure (p = 0.2). The exposure–response trends were stronger when examined across the exposed categories (BaP p = 0.1; inhalable dust p = 0.04). A monotonic, but not statistically significant trend was observed between cumulative BaP exposure and stomach cancer (n = 14). Bladder cancer was not associated with BaP or BSF exposure. No other cancer and no mortality outcomes were associated with these smelter exposures.

Conclusions

The carcinogenicity of Söderberg smelter exposures is well established; in these prebake smelters we observed an association between smelter exposures and respiratory cancer, but not bladder cancer. The exploratory finding for stomach cancer needs confirmation. These results are preliminary due to the young cohort and short follow-up time.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the company site hygienists, and especially Neale Frisch, for their invaluable assistance with developing the task exposure matrices. We also thank the smelter and rolling mill employees who participated in the interviews. Vanessa Murray, Peter Ittak, and Christina Dimitriadis provided essential support throughout this study. Lin Fritschi is the holder of an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowship. This study was funded by Alcoa of Australia Ltd.

Funding

This study was funded by Alcoa of Australia Ltd and carried out under the guidance of an Advisory Board consisting of company and union representatives and international researchers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Level 3, Monash University, 89 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia

    Melissa C. Friesen, Geza Benke, Anthony Del Monaco, Martine Dennekamp, Jan L. Hoving, Ewan MacFarlane & Malcolm R. Sim

  2. Environmental Health Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA

    Melissa C. Friesen

  3. Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia

    Lin Fritschi

  4. Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth, Australia

    Nick de Klerk

  5. Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jan L. Hoving

Authors
  1. Melissa C. Friesen
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  2. Geza Benke
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  3. Anthony Del Monaco
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  4. Martine Dennekamp
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  5. Lin Fritschi
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  6. Nick de Klerk
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  7. Jan L. Hoving
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  8. Ewan MacFarlane
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  9. Malcolm R. Sim
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Malcolm R. Sim.

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Friesen, M.C., Benke, G., Del Monaco, A. et al. Relationship between cardiopulmonary mortality and cancer risk and quantitative exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fluorides, and dust in two prebake aluminum smelters. Cancer Causes Control 20, 905–916 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9329-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9329-8

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