Acrylonitrile exposure in the general population following a major train accident in Belgium: A human biomonitoring study
De Smedt T, De Cremer K, Vleminckx C, Fierens S, Mertens B, Van Overmeire I, Bader M, De Paepe P, Göen T, Nemery B, Schettgen T, Stove C, Van Oyen H, Van Loco J, Van Nieuwenhuyse A (2014)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2014
Journal
Book Volume: 231
Pages Range: 344-51
Journal Issue: 3
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2014.09.009
Abstract
On Saturday May 4, 2013, a train transporting chemicals derailed in the village of Wetteren (Belgium) and caused a leak of acrylonitrile (ACN).To assess the human exposure to acrylonitrile in the local population with the highest suspected exposure.Between May 18-25, 242 residents participated in the study. N-2-cyanoethylvaline (CEV), a biomarker that is highly specific for ACN exposure, was measured in the blood. To account for potential influence by smoking, cotinine was determined in the urine. Participants also filled in a short questionnaire.In the evacuated zone, 37.3% of the non-smokers and 40.0% of the smokers had CEV concentrations above the reference values of 10 and 200pmol/g globin, respectively, at the time of the train accident. Spatial mapping of the CEV concentrations depending on the residential address showed a distribution pattern following the sewage system.The train derailment resulted in a highly atypical sequence-of-events. In addition to exposure in the direct vicinity of the site of the train derailment, exposure also occurred via the sewage system, into which acrylonitrile had entered shortly after the accident.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Scientific Institute of Public Health
Belgium (BE)
University Hospital Ghent
Belgium (BE)
BASF SE
Germany (DE)
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) / Catholic University of Leuven
Belgium (BE)
Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen
Germany (DE)
Universiteit Gent (UGent) / Ghent University
Belgium (BE)
Belgium (BE)
University Hospital Ghent
Belgium (BE)
BASF SE
Germany (DE)
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) / Catholic University of Leuven
Belgium (BE)
Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen
Germany (DE)
Universiteit Gent (UGent) / Ghent University
Belgium (BE)
How to cite
APA:
De Smedt, T., De Cremer, K., Vleminckx, C., Fierens, S., Mertens, B., Van Overmeire, I.,... Van Nieuwenhuyse, A. (2014). Acrylonitrile exposure in the general population following a major train accident in Belgium: A human biomonitoring study. Toxicology Letters, 231(3), 344-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2014.09.009
MLA:
De Smedt, T., et al. "Acrylonitrile exposure in the general population following a major train accident in Belgium: A human biomonitoring study." Toxicology Letters 231.3 (2014): 344-51.
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