Content of polyarenes in the air of the working area at aluminum production

Introduction. Pollution of the air environment of aluminum production with highly toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) necessitates the identification and assessment of the hazard of the entire spectrum of priority PAHs.Materials and methods. The content of specific PAHs in the air of electrolysis workshops with different aluminum production technologies was analyzed using a gas chromatograph with a mass-selective detector. Hygienic indices, total toxicity, and hazard PAHs level were calculated.Results. The content of 13 priority PAHs with different carcinogenic activity was detected in the air of workplaces in electrolysis workshops. The highest concentrations of specific and total PAHs were observed in the working area of anode operators in the workshop with traditional technology and among crane operators in the workshop with new aluminum production technology. The PAHs composition was dominated by hazardous high-molecular 5–6 ring structures of PAH compounds. The benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) content in the air exceeded the MAC by 1.1–5.8 times. The total toxicity of the detected PAHs, expressed through the equivalent amount of B(a)P, was higher than the MAC of B(a)P by 1.7–7.3 times. The contribution of other PAHs to the total toxicity, expressed through B(a)P equivalents, was 17.6–80.3%.Limitations. The studies of PAH content were conducted in the working area of the main occupations, in which air sampling was possible according to safety requirements.Conclusion. For effective monitoring and risk-oriented control of the danger of PAH pollution of the air at the working area of aluminum production, it is recommended to detect the content of the full spectrum of PAHs with high concentrations and equivalent toxicity coefficients.Compliance with ethical standards. The study requires no the submission of a biomedical ethics committee opinion or other documents.Contribution: Shayakhmetov S.F. – concept and design of the study, writing text; Rukavishnikov V.S. – concept of the study, editing; Marinaite I.I. – sample analysis, research methods section, discussion of the results; Merinov A.V. – data processing, information search, tables, figures, bibliography. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.Conflict of interest. The authors declare the absence of obvious and potential conflicts of interest in connection with the publication of this article.Acknowledgment. The work was performed within the framework of funds allocated for the implementation of the state task for East-Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research and Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.Received: December 12, 2024 / Revised: February 21, 2025 / Accepted: March 26, 2025 / Published: April 30, 2025

aluminum production, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pollution, workplace air