PAHs Exposure Assessment for Highway Toll Station Workers Through Personal Particulate Sampling and Urinary Biomonitoring in Tianjin, China

ABSTRACT

Highway toll station workers' occupational exposure levels and health effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been analyzed through personal particulate sampling and urinary biomonitoring during March–May, 2014 in Tianjin, China. Personal particulate samples were collected during highway toll station workers' day shift working time (from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Pre-shift and post-shift spot urine samples were collected on each participant. In personal particulate samples, 16 priority PAHs suggested by USEPA were measured, and in the urine samples oxidative stress biomarker (8-OHdG) was analyzed. The measured mean occupational exposed concentration of PM_2.5 was 230.73 μg m⁻³, and the mean p-PAHs exposed concentration was 319.90 ng m⁻³ for the selected workers. Urinary concentrations of 8-OHdG increased by two times following an 8-h work shift in participants. Significant positive associations were found between post-work shift urinary 8-OHdG and p-PAH concentrations. Our finding indicated that personal air exposures to PAHs originating from traffic emissions are important in increasing oxidative burdens in human body.

Keywords:

• Health effect
• 8-OHdG
• oxidative stress
• personal exposure
• p-PAHs

Funding

Financial support was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41601548, 81602827), Tianjin High School Science & Technology Fund Planning Project (20140515), and Tianjin Research Program of Application Foundation and Advanced Technology (15JCQNJC08400).