Combined chemical exposures in metallurgical coke production and their health effects in workers

Introduction. Metallurgical coke production is a source of environmental pollution with harmful inorganic and organic substances possessing of specific effects on the human body. The relevance of this study is determined by the lack of information in the available literature on the working conditions of workers in by-product coke production facilities, taking into account the combined effects of harmful substances acting in the same direction.

The aim of the study. To assess health effects of combined occupational exposures to harmful chemicals in coke workers and develop measures to ensure chemical safety in the workplace.

Materials and methods. We have analyzed the results of coke oven shop workplace air testing for chemicals having acute, carcinogenic, reprotoxic, and fibrogenic health effects in workers. For the substances with a similar mechanism of action, we calculated summation coefficients to classify working conditions as harmful in terms of chemical risk.

Results. The workplace air in coke production is contaminated with a multicomponent mixture comprising chemicals of different hazard classes and mechanisms of action, such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, benzene, benzo[a]pyrene, coke and coal dust, and hydroxybenzene. The chemical factor was assessed with account for possible additive effects of the combinations of pollutants acting similarly. When the summation coefficient was taken into account, the class of working conditions increased by 1 to 2 degrees of harmfulness due to chemical risk. Working under such conditions can pose a high potential risk of occupational diseases. Realized risks are associated with exposure to fibrous aerosols and carcinogens.

Limitations. The study was conducted within one coking plant utilizing dry coal distillation technology. Additional studies based on larger samples could identify other important factors affecting workers’ health and allow for risk accounting for workers at similar facilities.

Conclusion. The use of the summation coefficient for harmful chemicals having similar modes of action when assessing working conditions provides an objective description of the occupational setting, helps to assess work-related health risks to metallurgical coke workers and develop a set of health and safety measures to mitigate them.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require ethics approval. No personal data were used in the research.

Contribution:
Drugova O.G. – data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation, editing;
Fedoruk A.A. – study conception and design, manuscript preparation, editing;
Mikushina N.A. – data collection and analysis;
Karimova L.K. – study conception and design, editing;
Muldasheva N.A. – manuscript preparation;
Beigul N.A. – manuscript preparation;
Plotko E.G. – editing;
Shabardina L.V. – data collection and analysis.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version.

Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: July 9, 2025 / Revised: April 9, 2026 / Accepted: May 20, 2026 / Published: June 18, 2026

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