title: Personal exposure to PM(2.5) and urinary hydroxy-PAH levels in bus drivers exposed to traffic exhaust, in Trujillo, Peru.
abstract: Public transport vehicle drivers, especially in highly polluted or trafficked areas, are exposed to high levels of air pollutants. In this study, we assessed the influence of traffic on levels of hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) in commercial bus drivers in Trujillo, Peru, by measuring the within-shift changes in the urinary whole weight and creatinine-corrected concentrations of the PAH metabolites. We measured personal PM(2.5) as a proxy of exposure to traffic emission. Urine samples were collected daily from two bus drivers and three minivan drivers in Trujillo, pre-, mid-, post-work shift and on days when the drivers were off work (total n = 144). Ten OH-PAH metabolites were measured in the urine samples. Drivers were also monitored for exposure to PM(2.5) (n = 41). Daily work shift (mean = 13.1 ± 1.3 hr) integrated PM(2.5) was measured in the breathing zones of the drivers for an average of 10.5 days per driver. The differences across shift in OH-PAH concentrations were not statistically significant except for urinary 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-FLU) (p = 0.04) and 4-hydroxyphenanthrene (4-PHE) (p = 0.01) and creatinine-corrected 4-hydroxyphenanthrene (p = 0.01). Correlation between pairs of hydroxy-PAHs (ρ = 0.50 to 0.93) were highest for mid-shift samples. Concentrations of PM(2.5) (geometric mean = 64 μg/m(3); 95% confidence limits = 52 μg/m(3), 78 μg/m(3)) is similar to those measured in many other studies of traffic exposure. There was significant change across work shift for concentrations of only two of the OH-PAHs (2-FLU and 4-PHE). Results indicate that the drivers may have had limited time for clearance of PAH exposure from the body between work shifts. Comparisons of the concentrations of creatinine-corrected hydroxy-PAH to those reported in other studies indicate that exposure of public transport drivers to PAH could be similar. By following the subjects over multiple days, this study gives an indication of appropriate exposure situations for the use of hydroxy-PAHs and will be beneficial in designing future occupational studies of PAH exposure.
authors.affiliation: The University of Georgia, College of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Olorunfemi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adetona
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjodin
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Lovisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Romanoff
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Villalobos
authors.forename: Larry L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Needham
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luis
authors.forename: Brandon E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Luke P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Naeher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D010568:Peru; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000652:urine; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000652:urine*; D013997:Time Factors; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D015415:Biomarkers; D005449:Fluorenes; D052638:Particulate Matter; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; C092103:4-hydroxyphenanthrene; C477779:2-hydroxyfluorene