Urinary profiles to assess polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure in coke-oven workers

Abstract

Aim of the study was the assessment of exposure of coke-oven workers to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by determination of urinary profiles of hydroxylated and unmetabolized PAHs. Fifty-five Polish coke-oven workers were investigated by measurement of 12 hydroxylated metabolites of PAHs (OHPAHs) (1-, 2-hydroxynaphthalene; 2-, 9-hydroxyfluorene; 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 9-hydroxyphenanthrene; 1-hydroxyypyrene, 6-hydroxychrysene and 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene) and 13 unmetabolized PAHs (U-PAHs) (from naphthalene to benzo[a]pyrene), in spot urine samples collected at the end of the workshift. U-PAHs with four or less rings were detected in all samples. In particular, median levels for urinary naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, chrysene and benz[a]anthracene were 0.806, 0.721, 0.020, 0.032 and 0.035 microg/L. OHPAHs up to 1-hydroxypyrene were found in all samples, while high molecular-weight OHPAHs were always below quantification limit. Median level of 1-hydroxyypyrene was 15.4 microg/L. In all subjects significant correlations between OHPAHs and U-PAHs were observed (0.27 < r < 0.70, p < 0.01). Our results suggest that both hydroxylated metabolites and unmetabolized PAHs in urine are useful biomarkers of exposure to PAHs. Moreover, the simultaneous determination of several biomarkers permits to obtain specific excretion profiles that might help in exposure characterization and in better defining the excretion patterns.

Biomass fuels and coke plants are important sources of human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene and toluene

“…1-OHP contributed over 28% and 49% to the ∑OH-PAHs in the urine samples from the workers and farmers, suggesting a high potential risk of carcinogenic PAH exposure for the farmers. These results contrast with an exposure characterization study with coke oven workers in Europe, which found that naphthols contributed 59% to the ∑OH-PAHs, followed by hydroxyfluorenes (24%), phenanthrols (9.4%), and 1-OHP (7.3%) (Campo et al, 2010).…”

Determination of parent and hydroxy PAHs in personal PM2.5 and urine samples collected during Native American fish smoking activities

“…Hydroxy and dihydroxy-PAHs are excreted from the body with urine in the form of glucuronides and sulfates (Jacob and Seidel, 2002). Parent PAHs are not completely metabolized to OH-PAHs in the human body, therefore, urine contains a mixture of both PAHs and OH-PAHs (Becher and Bjorseth, 1983; Campo et al, 2006; Campo et al, 2007; Campo et al, 2010). …”

Are urinary PAHs biomarkers of controlled exposure to diesel exhaust?

“…Many PAHs have been detected in urine from urban populations exposed to air pollutants (Campo et al, 2007, 2009, 2011; Serdar et al, 2003; Sobus et al, 2008b; Waidyanatha et al, 2003) as well as from workers exposed to emissions containing PAHs (Campo et al, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011; Rossella et al, 2009; Serdar et al, 2003; Sobus et al, 2008b, 2009b; Waidyanatha et al, 2003). Given the abundance of volatile PAHs in DE, we hypothesized that urinary levels of gas-phase PAHs would elevate upon short-term exposure to air concentrations of DE that were well above ambient values.…”