[Study of the correlation between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure during pregnancy and neonatal neurobehavioral development in Taiyuan and Changzhi cities].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the difference of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) levels in the urban air and the scores of Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment (NBNA) between Taiyuan and Changzhi cities and to explore the effects of PAHs in the urban air during pregnancy on neonatal behavioral neurological development.


METHODS
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with subsequent fluorescence detection was used to determine the PAHs levels in the cooperational hospitals in Changzhi and Taiyuan cities and the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels of the 297 pregnant women living Changzhi and Taiyuan cities during Nov. 2009 to May 2010. NBNA was used to determine the development of neonatal neural behavior. The differences of PAHs levels in the urban air, the pregnant women urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels and NBNA scores between Taiyuan and Changzhi were compared.


RESULTS
There are significant differences of levels of pyrene, benz [a] anthracene, Chrysene, benz [a] pyrene, dibenz [a, h] anthracene in the urban air between Taiyuan and Changzhi (P < 0.10). The median of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in pregnant women of Taiyuan was 1.140 microg/mmolCr, (P25 was 0.457 microg/mmolCr, P75 was 2.678 microg/mmolCr), the median of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in pregnant women of Changzhi was 0.761 microg/mmolCr, (P25 was 0.133 microg/mmolCr, P75 was 2.095 microg/mmolCr). There are significant differences of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in pregnant women between Taiyuan and Changzhi (t = -3.140, P = 0.002). There are significant differences of the NBNA scores, capacity scores, passive muscle tension scores, active muscle tension scores and general assessment scores between Taiyuan and Changzhi (P < 0.10). There was correlation between NBNA scores and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene level in pregnant women.


CONCLUSIONS
The PAHs in the urban air during pregnancy may adversely affect the neonatal neurobehavioral development.
Occupational Health Department, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
Xiao-Hua
XH
Li
Gui-Zhi
GZ
Liu
Qiao-Yun
QY
He
Bin-Bin
BB
Zhang
Wei
W
Wei
Sheng-Ru
SR
Yang
Pei-Fang
PF
Yuan
Ji-Sheng
JS
Nie
Qiao
Q
Niu
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy
D000393:Air Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons