title: Sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in non-occupationally exposed Koreans.
abstract: Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), an exposure biomarker for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), was used to identify potential sources of PAH exposure for 660 Koreans who were not occupationally exposed to PAHs (65% male; 35% female; mean age, 36.5 +/- 11.1 years). In this study, 74% of subjects had detectable levels of urinary 1-OHP, with a concentration range of 0.001-3.796 microg/L (median, 0.079 microg/L). A backward elimination was conducted: five variables were selected with a significance level for removal of P < or = 0.1. The results of this study showed that residence in areas with relatively poor environmental conditions (Seoul and Suwon) was strongly associated with high concentrations of urinary 1-OHP (P = 0.007), while consumption of fried chicken and length of time spent outdoors had marginal positive associations with urinary 1-OHP levels (P = 0.06 and P = 0.09, respectively). Compared with the above three factors, tobacco smoking and urinary cotinine levels were poorly associated with urinary 1-OHP (P = 0.16 and 0.23, respectively). Pear consumption had an inverse association with urinary 1-OHP levels (P < 0.01). Individual variations in urinary 1-OHP concentrations were evaluated by considering the subjects' age, sex, and genetic polymorphisms in enzymes involved in the metabolism of PAHs. Among the individual variations, GSTT1-present subjects showed higher 1-OHP levels than GSTT1-absent subjects in cities having 10-microm particulate matter (PM(10)) levels and population density lower than those of Seoul and Suwon (P < 0.05). These epidemiological results suggest that the above factors that should be considered in preventing PAH exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine/Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mihi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Soyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eunil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hae-Kwan
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Seong-Sil
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Daehee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yunhee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Su-Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; D003404:Creatinine; D003367:Cotinine; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene