Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in people living in urban and rural areas as revealed by hair analysis. (May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Chunhui; Zhou, Shenglu; Wu, Shaohua; Tang, Junhong; Li, Huanxuan; Du, Jia
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 246(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05
• Subjects: Biomarker -- Environmental exposure -- Human hair -- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125764
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic and mutagenic to humans. However, little is known about PAH exposure to people living in urban and suburban areas through comparative studies. Some studies have indicated that human hair can be used as a noninvasive biomarker of PAH exposure. Therefore, we collected hair samples from 66 volunteers from Nanjing and Ningbo, China, to detect PAH concentrations in this work. The highest levels in the hair samples were found in phenanthrene > anthracene > naphthalene among the parent PAHs. Sixteen parent PAHs showed higher concentrations in the samples from Nanjing than in the samples from Ningbo. Significantly higher levels of some PAHs were observed in male hair than in female hair in Nanjing, and in hair from smokers than in hair from non-smokers in both Nanjing and Ningbo. In addition, there was a significant effect of the age on the concentration of low-molecular-weight PAHs and ∑PAHs in human hair in both Nanjing and Ningbo. Studying the inter-chemical associations between these PAHs indicated similarities and differences between Nanjing and Ningbo. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Significantly higher concentrations of some PAHs were observed in male hair than in female hair and in hair from smokers than in hair from nonsmokers. There was a significant effect of age on the LMW PAHs and ∑PAHs in human hair. Common and different sources of exposure in the two studied areas were noted depending on the specific PAH.