title: Personal exposure to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Czech Republic.
abstract: Personal exposures to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (c-PAHs) bound to airborne particulate matter 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were measured in the context of a large-scale molecular epidemiological study in order to identify the impacts of air pollution on human health. Sampling was carried out in three industrial cities in the Czech Republic: Ostrava, Karvina and Havirov. The city of Prague, exhibiting much lower industrial air pollution but a high level of traffic, served as a control. The first monitoring campaigns were held in winter and were repeated in the summer of 2009. The active personal monitors PV 1.7 for PM2.5-bound c-PAHs were used. Non-smoking city policemen from Prague, Karvina and Havirov, and office workers from Ostrava, participated in the study. All participants completed a personal questionnaire and a time-location-activity diary. The average personal winter exposure to c-PAHs (sum of the eight PAHs-benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, chrysene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene) was highest in Karvina, 39.1, followed by Ostrava at 15.1 and Prague at 4.3 ng/m(3). The winter levels were significantly higher than the summer values (P<0.001): 4.3 in Karvina, 3.0 in Ostrava, 1.6 in Havirov and 1.0 ng/m(3) in Prague. The average personal benzo[a]pyrene winter/summer exposures were: 6.9/0.6 in Karvina, 2.5/0.4 in Ostrava, 0.8/0.1 in Prague and 0.2 ng/m(3) in summer in Havirov. In this study, we examined personal exposure to c-PAHs and tested it for associations with potential predictor variables collected from questionnaires, addressing life style factors and day-to-day activities. We found outdoor concentration, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, home heating fuel of coal, wood or gas, frequency of exhaust fan use, cooking and commuting by a car to be the main determinants of personal exposure.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vlasta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Svecova
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Topinka
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Solansky
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rossner
authors.forename: Radim J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sram
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000032:analysis*; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012621:Seasons; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons