title: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in placenta.
abstract: Concentrations of chrysene, benz [a] anthracene, benzo [a]-pyrene, benzo [b] fluoranthene, indeno [1,2,3-c,d] pyrene, dibenz [a,h] anthracene, and benzo [g,h,i] perylene were measured in placentas from 200 women from two cities in Ukraine, Kyiv and Dniprodzerzhinsk. The participants had no special exposures and were chosen from among subjects in an ongoing study of reproductive health. All seven of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found in all placentas, with the sole exception of benzo [a] pyrene in one placenta. Chrysene was present at the highest concentrations, with median 1.38 ng/g dry weight. Dibenz [a,h] anthracene and benzo [g,h,i] perylene had the lowest concentrations; each had median 0.73 ng/g dry weight. Concentrations in Kyiv were slightly higher than those in Dniprodzerzhinsk, but the difference was significant only for dibenz [a,h] anthracene. Dibenz [a,h] anthracene and benzo [g,h,i] perylene increased significantly with maternal body mass index, but other PAHs showed no such pattern. Placentas from deliveries in autumn or winter had slightly but not significantly higher concentrations. Concentrations were not related to maternal age. There were too few smokers in the sample for meaningful evaluation. No associations were seen between any of the placental PAH concentrations and birth weight of the infant.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Gladen
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Zadorozhnaja
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chislovska
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Hryhorczuk
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kennicutt
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Little
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014455:Ukraine
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons