Personal exposure levels of PAHs in the general population in northern rural area of Jiangsu Province, China

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of compounds that are produced by incomplete combustion of organic matters. Studies in humans have shown associations between PAHs exposure and development of cancers. Urinary monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) are a class of PAH metabolites used as biomarkers for estimating human exposure to PAHs. We collected 332 urinary samples from a nonoccupational population in northern rural area of Jiangsu. Levels of 2-hydroxynathalene (2-OHN), 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-OHF) and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) were measured as biomarkers to assess body PAHs burdens. Three PAH metabolites were detected in more than 80% of urinary samples. After being adjusted with urinary creatinine concentration, the urinary concentrations were determined as 2-OHF > 1-OHP > 2-OHN in terms. The medians of 2-OHN, 2-OHF, 1-OHP for the general population were 1.74, 30.01, 25.24 μmoL/moL creatinine, respectively. The results demonstrated that nonoccupational populations in northern rural area of Jiangsu were exposed to extremely high PAHs. The urinary concentration (median and geometric mean) of 2-OHN,2-OHF,1-OHP in males (1.90, 0.37 ± 0.46; 34.90, 1.53 ± 0.41; 27.84, 1.52 ± 0.29 μmoL/moL creatinine, respectively) was slightly higher than in females (1.56, 0.32 ± 0.42; 29.60, 1.48 ± 0.40; 23.13, 1.49 ± 0.32 μmoL/moL creatinine, respectively). However, only 2-OHN was different significantly between males and females.

Keywords:

• 2-hydroxynathalene
• 2-hydroxyfluorene
• 1-hydroxypyrene
• rural area
• exposure

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81072338) and the priority academic program development of Jiangsu higher education institutions (2010). Special thanks to all volunteers and study participants whose participation made this study possible. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.