Traffic-related air pollution. A pilot exposure assessment in Beirut, Lebanon

Abstract

Traffic-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pollution has frequently been demonstrated to be a serious problem in the developing countries. Benzene and 1,3-butadiene (BD) have been classified as a human carcinogen based on evidence for an increased genotoxic and epigenotoxic effects in both occupational exposure assessment and in vivo/in vitro studies. We have undertaken a biomonitoring of 25 traffic policemen and 23 office policemen in Beirut, through personal air monitoring, assessed by diffusive samplers, as well as through the use of biomarkers of exposure to benzene and BD. Personal benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) exposure were quantified by GC-MS/MS, urinary trans, trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) by HPLC/UV, S-phenyl mercapturic acid (S-PMA), monohydroxy-butenyl mercapturic acid (MHBMA) and dihydroxybutyl mercapturic acid (DHBMA) by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI(-)-MS/MS) in MRM (Multiple Reaction Monitoring) mode. We found that individual exposure to benzene in the traffic policemen was higher than that measured in traffic policemen in Prague, in Bologna, in Ioannina and in Bangkok. t,t-MA levels could distinguish between office and traffic policemen. However, median MHBMA levels in traffic policemen were slightly elevated, though not significantly higher than in office policemen. Alternatively, DHBMA concentrations could significantly distinguish between office and traffic policemen and showed a better correlation with personal total BTEX exposure. DHMBA, measured in the post-shift urine samples, correlated with both pre-shift MHMBA and pre-shift DHMBA. Moreover, there was not a marked effect of smoking habits on DHBMA. Taken together, these findings suggested that DHBMA is more suitable than MHBMA as biomarker of exposure to BD in humans. Traffic policemen, who are exposed to benzene and BD at the roadside in central Beirut, are potentially at a higher risk for development of diseases such as cancer than office policemen.

A retrospective analysis of 254 acute stroke cases admitted to two university hospitals in Beirut: classification and associated factors

“…In fact, air pollution may trigger various mechanisms related to the development of SV, such as systemic inflammation, activation of thrombosis pathways, arteriolar narrowing and impaired vasodilation, and accelerated progression of atherosclerosis (Brook, 2008). However, the capital, Beirut, is the most populated city in Lebanon and also highly polluted (Afif et al, 2009;Borgie et al, 2014), and this may further explain the correlation between Beirut residency and the SV subtype in our study. Another hypothesis that should be tested in future studies is the relationship between stroke subtypes and obesity, a potential residual confounding risk factor in the multivariable regressions.…”

Estratégias analíticas com cromatografia e espectrometria de massas para biomonitorização da exposição ao benzeno pela determinação do ácido S-fenilmercaptúrico urinário

“…De acordo com a recomendação da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para que as amostras de urina sejam aceitáveis para análises de biomarcadores, os níveis de creatinina devem estar entre 0,3 e 3,0 g L -1 . As limitações desta correção ainda têm sido reportadas 32,57,58 .…”

“…Alguns autores recomendam, inclusive, que a coleta seja feita após, no mínimo, três dias consecutivos de exposição 58,65 .…”

Radon as a tracer of atmospheric influences on traffic-related air pollution in a small inland city

“…Maltoni et al, 2007;Borgie et al, 2014), whereas elevated levels of CO have been linked to a variety of mental health and metabolic issues, and Á in some cases Á death (Beatty and Shimshack, 2014;Sood et al, 2014;Kim et al 2015aKim et al , 2015b. Consequently, ambient air quality standards devised by regulatory authorities impose thresholds on hourly/daily/yearly mean concentrations of these pollutants to which commuters and residents are exposed.…”

“…Verma et al, 2003;Borgie et al, 2014;Hien et al, 2014;Sood et al, 2014;Kim et al, 2015b;Li et al, 2015), although other sources of these pollutants can be significant in industrial or semi-rural settings (e.g. Byrd et al, 1990;ATSDR, 2007;Fan et al, 2014;Borgie et al, 2014;Kim et al, 2015a and references therein).…”