Exposure of Children to Creosote from Wood Impregnation on Playgrounds

Dr. Andrea Boehncke, Dr. Inge Mangelsdorf Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Aerosol Research Drug Research and Clinical Inhalation, Working Group on Chemical Risk Assessment, Nikolai-Fuchs-Strae 1, D-30625 Hannover

Composition of creosote
A brownish-black, viscous liquid obtained by the fractional distillation of crude coal tars. Coal tars are by-products in the distillation of coal to coke or town-gas a complex mixture of high-boiling compounds (distillation range 200-400 C) main constituents: polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (Table 1), furthermore, phenols, creosols and xylenols There is sufficient evidence that creosote is carcinogenic to animals. This is due to the PAHs in the mixture (e.g. benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo (a,h) anthracene). Table 1: PAHs in commercial creosotes
Compound Concentration (% w/w) Acenaphthene 3.1-14.7 Anthracene 1,5-10,5 Benzo(a)pyrene 0.0004-0.35 Chrysene 0,3-3,5 Dibenz(a,h)anthracene 0.01-0.04 Fluoranthene 0,2-10,0 Fluorene 3.1-10.0 Naphthalene 1,3-18,0 Phenanthrene 1-21.0 Pyrene0.1-8.5 Total PAH content up to 85 %

Children playing outdoors Creosote impregnated wood Volatilization Air Inhalation Ingestion Ingestion Direct contact Skin Permeation Leaching Soil, sand Ingestion Permeation

Exposure scenario Source Release mechanism Target Route of exposure

References
AGLMB (1995) Standards zur Expositionsabschtzung. Arbeitsgemeinschaft der leitenden Medizinalbeamtinnen und -beamten der Lnder, Bericht des Ausschusses fr Umwelthygiene. Hrg. Behrde fr Arbeit, Gesundheit und Soziales, Hamburg ATSDR (1990) Toxicological profile for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons., U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry CSTEE (1999) Opinion (revised) on cancer risk to consumers from creosote containing less than 50 ppm benzo[a]-pyrene and/or from wood treated with such creosote and estimation of respective magnitude expressed at the 8th CSTEE meeting, Brussels, 4th of March Mangelsdorf I, Boehncke A & Hollnder W (1998) Auswertung einer dermalen Kanzerogenittsstudie mit zwei verschiedenen Teerlprodukten. Fraunhofer Institut fr Toxikologie und Aerosolforschung, Hannover. Im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums fr Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn Heikkil PR, Hmeil M, Pyy L, Raunu P (1987) Exposure to creosote in the impregnation and handling of impregnated wood. Scand. J. Work Eniron. Health 13: 431-437 IARC (1985) Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Part 4, bitumens, coal-tars and derived products, shale-oils and soots. In: IARC (ed.) IARC monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Humans. Lyon/France Lehmann E, Auffarth J, Hger J, Rentel KH & Altenburg H (1986) Massenverhltnisse ausgewhlter PAH in Produkten auf Steinkohlenteer-Basis. Staub-Reinhalt Luft 46: 128-131 Priddle & MacQuarrie (1994) Dissolution of creosote in groundwater: an experimental and modeling investigation. J Contam Hydrol 15: 27-56 Rotard W & Mailahn W (1987) Gas chromatographicmass spectrometric analysis of creosotes extracted from wooden sleepers installed in playgrounds. Anal Chem 59: 65-69 Sandell E & Tuominen J (1996) The impact of the use and disposal of creosote impregnated railway ties on a freshwater supply area in southern Finland. Polycyclic Aromat Compd 11: 83-90 Stubenrauch S, Hempfling R, Simmleit N, Mathews T & Doetsch P (1994) Abschtzung der Schadstoffexposition in Abhnigkeit von Expositionsszenarien und Nutzergruppen. II. Vorschlge fr orale Aufnahmeraten von Boden, Badeseewasser und Nahrungsmitteln des Eigenanbaus. Umweltwiss Schadst -Forsch 6: 165-174 Stubenrauch S, Hempfling R, Simmleit N & Doetsch P (1994) Abschtzung der Schadstoffexposition in Abhngigkeit von Expositionsszenarien und Nutzergruppen. III. Vorschlge fr inhalative Aufnahmeraten. Umweltwiss Schadst -Forsch 6: 289-296 Stubenrauch S, Hempfling R & Simmleit N (1995) Abschtzung der Schadstoffexposition in Abhnigkeit von Expositionsszenarien und Nutzergruppen. IV. Vorschlge fr die Ableitung dermaler Aufnahmeraten. Umweltwiss Schadst -Forsch 7: 37-461995 Van Rooij JGM, Van Lieshout EMA, Bodelier-Bade MM & Jongeneelen FJ (1993) Effect of the reduction of skin contamination on the internal dose of creosote workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Scand J Work Environ Health 19: 200-207 Van Roij (1998) Personal communication WHO (1987) Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In: Air quality guidelines for Europe, WHO Reg. Pub., Eur. Series No. 23, Chapter 11. 105-117

Fig. 1: Possible routes of exposure of children to creosote

Oral exposure

Exposure of children to creosote from impregnated wood

The possible routes of exposure are given in Figure 1. The following general assumptions were chosen. They are mainly based on the studies of Stubenrauch et al. (1995). regular stay on playgrounds in the age between 3 and 8 years, i.e. 6 years during a lifetime number of stays/year: 100 exposure time/stay: 4 hours mean body weight: 15 kg

Indirect oral exposure due to clearance of inhaled particles is assumed to be negligible: inhalation exposure can be shown to be very low (see below) BaP adsorbs especially to small particles which have a high retention time in the lung. However, small children in particular tend to have a significant uptake of sand or soil during their playing activities. This route of exposure is quantified with the following assumptions as a basis: Uptake of contaminated sand or soil: 0.5-1 g/exposure event (dependent on age; Stubenrauch et al., 1994a) Average BaP content of sand/soil: 60 g/kg (see above)

FRG: 45-3490 ppm; 70%ile 500 ppm NL: < 4-20 ppm SU: 300-1200 ppm PO: 300 ppm GUS:2000 ppm

Dermal exposure Dermal exposure of children to creosote can occur 1.via freshly manually impregnated wood 2.via contaminated sand or soil 3.[via industrially impregnated wood due to exudation. Old railway sleepers may contain up to about 1600 mg/kg BaP (Rotard & Mailahn, 1987). It is not clear how much BaP can be released by exudation which depends strongly on weather conditions. The use of old railway sleepers on playgrounds is not recommended by e.g. the German Federal Institute of Consumer Protection and Veterinary Medicine.] 1. Via freshly manually impregnated wood Exudation is not to be expected with manually impregnated wood as the applied quantities are significantly lower and complete weathering occurs within one to two years. The estimations are based on the following assumptions: Max. BaP content of creosote: 50 ppm Skin exposure at the workplace: 1-34 ng/kg bw x d (derived from pyrene exposure at workplaces in the wood impregnating industry; van Rooij et al., 1993) Reduced exposure time and frequency: 4 hours/day instead of 8 hours/day 1 exposure event/year instead of ca. 200 events/years

According to IARC (1985); ATSDR (1990); TIS (1990); Priddle & MacQuarrie (1994); Heikkil (1987); van Rooj et al. (1993; 1998); Lehmann (1986); Sandell & Tuominen (1996)

Use of creosote
Widely used as an impregnation agent for wood applied outdoors such as garden fences, outdoor playing devices (e.g. sandbox edgings), tadpoles railway sleepers etc. Mostly used in industrial applications in the so-called pressure impregnation process Significant amounts are applied in the private area creosote by brushing. From this a potential exposure of the consumer (during impregnation) and children in contact with creosote-treated playing devices (after impregnation) is to be assumed.

Result

Possible oral exposure to contaminated sand or soil: 0.5-1 ng BaP/kg bw x d

Inhalation exposure Inhalation exposure of BaP from creosote is only possible by inhalation of contaminated dust. The following assumptions were compiled from the literature: (Stu Inhalation rate of children: 0.13-1.8 m benrauch et al., 1994a) Dust content of air on playing fields: 6.6 mg/m3 (Stubenrauch et al, 1994a) Dust retention in the lung: 40% (WHO, 1987) BaP content of dust: 60 g/kg (see above)
3/h

Suitability of benzo(a)pyrene as a marker substance

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a marker substance in numerous studies on PAH mixtures. This holds for the determination of BaP in the different environmental compartments and for the investigation of toxic and ecotoxic effects as well. Question: Can BaP also be used as a marker substance for this special exposure situation? Answer: Yes Reason: It was shown in a dermal carcinogenicity study with mice that two samples of creosote with differing BaP content showed the same doseeffect relationship based on BaP. Pure BaP was about 5 times less effective than as a component of creosote. This is understandable considering that creosote also contains other carcinogenic PAHs apart from BaP. The carcinogenic effect of other PAH mixtures (lubricating, oil, flue gas condensation products) is of a similar order of magnitude (Mangelsdorf et al., 1998).

Result

Possible inhalation exposure to contaminated dust: 0.001-0.02 ng BaP/kg bw x d

Result

Possible exposure via skin contact with freshly manually impregnated wood 0.003-0.09 ng BaP/kg bw x d 2. Via contaminated sand or soil Some recent literature data on the contamination of sand and soil on playgrounds in the vicinity of sandboxes are available from Denmark. The data range from < 50 mg BaP/kg dry weight to 200 g/kg (Milj & Energi Ministeriet, 1996). The estimations are based on the following assumptions: Average BaP content of sand/soil: 60 g/kg Exposed body surface: 440 cm2 (inner parts of hands) Adhesion factor for sand/soil: 0.5-1.7 mg/cm2 (Stubenrauch et al., 1995; AGLMB, 1995)

Conclusion
Most relevant exposure paths: dermal exposure to contaminated sand or soil oral exposure to contaminated sand or soil. But estimations are highly uncertain due to numerous assumptions the Scientific Committee of Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (CSTEE) estimated a lifetime risk of ca. 10-4 for a BaP dose of 1 ng/kg bw x d (CSTEE, 1999) this would give clear reason for concern especially in the context of cumulative exposure (e.g. exposure via food, ambient air). Probabilistic methods would be a helpful tool to refine the exposure assessment.

Result

Possible exposure via skin contact with contaminated sand or soil: 0.2-0.8 ng BaP/kg bw x d