A molecular epidemiological approach to health risk assessment of urban air pollution.
The ambient air of urban centres is polluted with potentially toxic chemicals mostly arising from the combustion or fuels used for transport. Among these compounds, benzene raises particular concern due to its haematoxicity and leukaemogenic risks. Although limits of benzene in air have been established in the European Union (5 microg/m(3)), individual exposure levels--and therefore risk estimates--cannot merely be extrapolated from environmental concentrations. Molecular epidemiology can facilitate health risk assessment by investigating the relationship between exposure to environmental pollutants and quantification of biomarkers that lie on the pathway of carcinogenesis upstream of clinical disease. We review the available for biomarker studies regarding health risks linked to environmental benzene exposure, and make some suggestions for future work.
Hrelia
Patrizia
P
Department of Pharmacology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio, 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy. phrelia@biocfarm.unibo.it
Maffei
Francesca
F
Angelini
Sabrina
S
Forti
Giorgio Cantelli
GC
D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D014505:Urban Population
D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens; D001554:Benzene