title: Characterizing and biological monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in exposures to diesel exhaust.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most important and carcinogenic components in diesel exhaust (DE). Therefore, ambient PAHs concentrations were measured and characterized for work areas in a locomotive engine inspection plant. Pre- and post-shift urine samples and concurrent air samples were collected on 17 workers to measure the concentration of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), a metabolite of pyrene. Increased urinary 1-OHP concentrations were observed over at least three consecutive sampling days. The biological kinetics of pyrene metabolism was studied with a one-compartment pharmokinetic model. The conversion rate and elimination rate of 1-OHP were estimated using nonlinear mixed-effects model, and validated with multiple nonlinear regression models by assessing the pattern of elimination rates of each worker separately. Urinary 1-OHP was confirmed to be a sensitive marker of PAHs exposure with mean half-life of 29 h in this population of Chinese workers. The study results would be beneficial to future occupational and environmental studies of PAH exposure.
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, Harvard Medical School, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446, USA. whuang@pku.edu.cn
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hongqiao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fanggu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Herrick
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Christiani
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005742:Gasoline; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012621:Seasons; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D005742:Gasoline; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene