Author(s)

C. Wu, L. Tam, J. Clark & P. Rosenfeld

Abstract

To evaluate historical exposure from wood treatment facilities, blood samples were collected from 65 current and past residents of four communities surrounding wood treatment facilities throughout the United States. The pattern of dioxin/furan congeners detected in blood samples was found to be consistent with exposure to contaminants generated during the wood treatment process. The levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-p-dibenzodioxin toxic equivalents (2,3,7,8-TCDD TEQs) for all 17 carcinogenic dioxin/furan congeners, octa-chlorinated dibenzop- dioxins (OCDD) adjusted to its TEQ value and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-hepta-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD) adjusted to its TEQ value in the U.S. population were compared to the TEQ levels of the combined dataset for all 4 communities and of the datasets for each individual community. TEQ concentrations in these communities were found to be significantly greater than the TEQ data for the general U.S. population. These findings reveal that a very significant potential for contaminant-related health risks exists in communities surrounding wood treatment facilities. Keywords: wood treatment, blood analysis, dioxins, furans, creosote, pentachlorophenol.

Keywords

wood treatment, blood analysis, dioxins, furans, creosote,pentachlorophenol