Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in rubber forming industry

: Among various chemical agents present at the workplaces in the rubber industry, a particular attention was adressed to the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) contained in oil and carbon black, but some questions regarding level of exposure are also controversially discussed. The literature reports that PAH may have irritant effects; moreover some of these have been recognized as probably or possibly carcinogenic to human by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the European Union, and other institutions. In Lombardy, a study aimed to evaluate the occupational exposure in Benzo[b]fluorantene the rubber forming industry was planned during last two years. The results of environmental air monitoring (the 16 most relevant, according to the American Environmental Protection Agency, EPA) and biological monitoring (urinary 1-hydroxypyrene excretion) show that PAH exposure in these workers is not higher than that observed in other study regarding low level and acceptable exposure.