Association of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in workers with hypertension from a northeastern Chinese petrochemical industrial area. (15th April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sun, Yu; Kan, Ze; Zhang, Zi-Feng; Song, Li; Jiang, Chao; Wang, Ji; Ma, Wan-Li; Li, Yi-Fan; Wang, Li; Liu, Li-Yan
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 323(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04-15
• Subjects: Petrochemical workers -- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- Urinary mono-hydroxyl metabolites -- Cardiovascular diseases; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121266
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Elevated urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, for petrochemical workers with potentially high PAH exposure, it remains largely unknown whether the link will be amplified. Thus, this work aimed to investigate 14 urinary mono-hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) in 746 petrochemical workers working in a Chinese petrochemical industrial area and their association with the risk of hypertension using the binary logistic regression. Metabolites of naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were frequently detected in the 746 urine samples analyzed (>98%), with Σ10 OH-PAH concentration in the range of 0.906–358 ng/mL. 2-hydroxynaphthalene accounted for the largest proportion of ten detected OH-PAHs (60.8% of Σ10 OH-PAHs). There were significant correlations between these metabolites and other factors, including gender, age, and body mass index. Diastolic blood pressure, not systolic blood pressure, was significant positively associated with the urinary Σ10 OH-PAH concentrations of the petrochemical workers. Elevated urinary 2/3-OH-Flu was significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension (adjusted odds ratio: 1.96, 95% confidence interval: 1.20–3.18, p = 0.007), suggesting that PAH exposure in petrochemical workers was a driving factor of hypertension. In the stratified analysis, the association was more pronounced in those who were overweight with older age. Although the PAH exposure risk in petrochemical workers based on the estimated daily intakes was relatively low. Given the long-term impact, we call attention to CVDs of petrochemical workers. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Urine of workers engaged in long-term petrochemical production was collected. Petrochemical workers showed notable naphthalene occupational exposure. Body mass index was a more accurate predictor of urinary PAH metabolite levels. Fluorene exposure was a driving factor of hypertension in petrochemical workers.