Exposure and Public Health Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Compounds in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background and Aim: In order to achieve improved global health, environmental health risks that could affect this goal have to be reduced as much as possible. This review thus aimed at determining the exposure levels, health risk assessments, and public health effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This review was developed using guidelines provided for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Search was done on Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed databases. A study was included if it was carried out in SSA from 2000 to 2020 and written in English language. Fifty-two studies were finally retained and used for the review. Extracted data included the concentrations of 8 selected priority PAHs (including the PAHs prioritized for their carcinogenic potentials), their sources and reported outcomes. In SSA, PAHs exposure has been linked to the use of unprocessed biomass fuels for cooking, release of poorly treated petrochemical effluents into water bodies, and so on. Related public health effects included the occurrence of respiratory, cardiovascular abnormalities, and so on. Others included destruction of natural biodiversity in soil, water, and atmospheric environmental media. Health risk assessments also buttressed the occurrence of these public health effects of PAHs. In SSA, the region is exposed to a substantial amount of PAHs pollution which is associated with deleterious environmental and epidemiological effects. The adoption of healthier forms of energy, a change of attitude to one that favors environmental sustainability, and proper enforcement of environmental regulations are, however, necessary for attaining environmental sanity in SSA.

Crude Oil Spills and Respiratory Health of Clean-Up Workers: A Systematic Review of Literature

“…Due to the heterogeneity in the methodologies utilized in the different studies to assess the exposure and outcome variables, we did not do a meta-analysis. This heterogeneity included differing pollutants, varying sites of exposure, sources, and application of varying study designs [58]. Therefore, this systematic review showed the diversities in the methodologies used for evaluating outcomes in relation to exposure variables.…”

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Contents of Four Species of Smoked Fish from Different Sites in Senegal

“…Furthermore, the type of wood has a significant influence on the increase of PAH contents in smoked foods. Similarly, the use of cartons during the smoking process could modify the photosensitive properties of PAHs and cause their accumulation in foods [ 26 ]. In addition, this is the fact that the PAH content in smoked products varies and depends on environmental factors such as the presence or absence of light or oxygen.…”

Association of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome and its components

“…Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of chemicals that are common air pollutants originating from the incomplete combustion of organic matter. Exposure to PAHs has been reported to be associated with several health outcomes [1] such as diabetes [2], cardiovascular diseases [3], respiratory diseases [4, 5], and cancer [6]. PAHs could be easily absorbed by fatty tissues and accumulated through long‐term exposure or the food chain [7], resulting in metabolic disorders by disrupting lipid metabolism [8].…”