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Abstract
The route of exposure (oral or inhalatory) of the general population to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is toxicologically very important. From a literature survey on the toxicity of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) in relation to the route of exposure, it is concluded that although exposure by food is quantitatively the major route of exposure of B[a]P (94%), inhalation exposure is by far more adverse from a toxicological point of view.
Because of the different composition of the PAH mixture in food and air it is possible to distinguish between the route of exposure by monitoring specific metabolites in human urine. Exposure by food and air can be monitored independently by the determination of 1-hydroxypyrene and 1-hydroxynaphthalene in urine, respectively. A very sensitive GCMS method has been developed for urinary 1- and 2- hydroxynaphthalene, which has been applied to urines of non-occupationally exposed smokers and non-smokers. A large difference in urinary concentrations of hydroxynaphthalenes between both groups was observed being a factor 5.9 and 14 for 1- and 2-hydroxynaphthalene, respectively.