Elsevier

Toxicology Letters

Volume 108, Issues 2–3, 5 September 1999, Pages 191-199
Toxicology Letters

Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and other PAH metabolites as biomarkers of exposure to environmental PAH in air particulate matter

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4274(99)00089-2Get rights and content
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Abstract

Humans are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from occupational, environmental, medicinal and dietary sources. PAH metabolites in human urine can be used as biomarkers of internal dose to assess recent exposure to PAHs. The most widely used urinary PAH metabolites are 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) or 1-hydroxypyrene-O-glucuronide (1-OHP-gluc), the major form of 1-OHP in human urine, because of their relatively high concentration and prevalence in urine and their relative ease of measurement. Elevated levels of 1-OHP or 1-OHP-gluc have been demonstrated in smokers, in patients receiving coal tar treatment (vs. pre-treatment), in postshift road pavers or coke oven workers, and in subjects ingesting charbroiled meat. This metabolite is found (at low levels) in most human urine samples, even in persons without apparent occupational or smoking exposure. Recent studies suggest that environmental exposure to PAHs (and air particles) is associated with increased excretion of 1-OHP-gluc or 1-OHP. These findings raise the possibility of using urinary concentration of 1-OHP-gluc, or another PAH metabolite, as a surrogate biomarker of exposure to airborne fine (sooty) particulate matter—the major source of PAHs in polluted air. Reported associations between ambient particulate matter concentrations and health effects among adults and children, including respiratory disease and mortality, indicate the need for biomarkers of fine particle exposure. If validated, such biomarkers would be useful in supplementing and refining exposure information obtained by ambient monitoring.

Keywords

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
1-Hydroxypyrene
Internal dose
Exposure biomarker
Fine particles

Abbreviations

BaP, benzo(a)pyrene
BaP-tetrol, 7,8,9,10-tetrahydroxy-7,8,9,10- tetrahydro-benzo(a)pyrene
GC/MS, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography
IAC, immunoaffinity chromatography
PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
3-OH-BaP, 3-hydroxy-benzo(a)pyrene
1-OHP, 1-hydroxypyrene
1-OHP-gluc, 1-hydroxypyrene-O-glucuronide
SFS, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy

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