In order to capture the extent of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), various biomarkers have been employed. The biomarkers employed for PAHs include PAHs genetoxic end points in lymphocytes, urinary metabolites, PAH-DNA adducts, and PAH-Protein adducts. Of these, excretory 1-hydroxypyene, a metabolite of pyrene, has been used extensively as a biological monitoring indicator of exposure to PAHs. This study attempts to assess the level of this biomarker in the body fluid of 68 exposed subjects using high performance liquid chromatography HPLC. The subjects screened included auto mechanics, drivers, and fuel attendants. 1-hydroxypyrene was extracted from the urine of the subjects using solid phase extraction method. The HPLC analysis was done in isocratic mode using water:methanol (12:88 v/v) mobile phase. The stationary phase was XBridge C18 (150 × 4.6 mm) 5 μm column. The wavelength was 250 nm at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min. The oven temperature was 30 ºC and the injection volume was 20 μL. The run time was 3 minutes. The level of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene detected varied for the different categories of occupation studied. About 27% of sampled fuel attendants and 22% of auto mechanics had detectable 1-hydroxypyrene in their urine samples. There was no detectable 1-hydroxypyene in the urine samples of commercial drivers or in the urine samples of students used as controls. The results of this study showed that fuel attendants and auto mechanics have significant exposures to PAHs. So far, there is no established benchmark for level of PAHs in urine, but our findings indicate the possibility of future cancer cases in this population as a result of their occupational exposure. The study was not able to link the level of 1-hydroxypyene with the smoking habits of the subjects.

In under developed and developing country like Nigeria, meat is usually smoked at temperature usually above 400 C, producing Polycyclic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Phenols in meat Products. PAHs compound found in smoked meat exhibit a cancerous substance affecting human health while Phenols in smoked meat are responsible for the smokey aroma andtaste. 10kg of raw meat from semi-membranous muscles of 2 years old male White Fulani cattle was used for this study. The meat was cut into 2 kg each to prepare meat products namely; Kundi, Kilishi, Balangu, Suya and Asun using traditional and oven drying methods. Final samples were evaluated for PAHs, phenols, proximate composition and palatability status. Data were subjected to ANOVA at P<0.05. Results showed that, PAHs had significantly higher values (P<0.05) in Kundi Laboratory smoked, commercially Kundi and Kilishi (8.00µkg , 8.80µkg , 8.60µkg ) respectively while the least was found in Asun (2.10µkg ) for the three samples evaluated. Kilishi had the highest phenols (P<0.05) value (1.30µg), while the least was noticed in Asun having (0.10µg) in all the three samples evaluated. Kundi products had values significantly (P<0.05) higher in protein and ash content for all samples and theleast (P<0.05) in ether extract and moisture content. Balangu and Kilishi had the highest (P<0.05) ether extract while Asun had the highest (P<0.05) moisture content (51.26%, 59.26% and 58.45%) for all the samples evaluated. Balangu, Asun and Kilishi products were rated higher (P<0.05) by the panelists while Kundi products had the least. Irrespective of the processing methods used, the higher the temperature and duration used in smoking, the higher the PAHs and Phenols Compound and the more accumulatedthenutrientscomposition.