title: High human exposure to pyrene (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) in Kinshasa, a capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on human exposure to chemicals in Africa are scarce. A biomonitoring study was conducted in a representative sample of the population in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) to document exposure to polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbons.
  
  
  METHODS
  1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) was measured by HPLC fluorescence in spot urine samples from 220 individuals (50.5% women), aged 6-70 years living in the urban area and from 50 additional subjects from the sub-rural area of Kinshasa. Data were compiled as geometric means and selected percentiles, expressed without (μg/L) or with creatinine adjustment (μg/g cr). Multiple regression analyses were applied to factors (creatinine, grilled meat habits and smoking habits) influencing 1-OHP (stepwise procedure, criteria: probability F to enter ≤ 0.05 and probability F to remove ≥ 0.10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the regression models, creatinine, grilled meat habits and smoking habits contribute to explain 45% of the variation in population's urinary 1-OHP by the environmental exposure. Overall, living in urban area of Kinshasa was associated with increased levels of 1-OHP in urine as compared to a population living in the sub-rural area [GM: 1.8 μg/L (n = 220) versus 1.4 μg/L (n = 50), p < 0.01] as well as compared to the reference values from databases involving American or German populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals the high pyrene (PAH) exposure of the Kinshasa population. However, more work, with a rigorous design in the exposed population (monitoring of air concentrations and identifying other sources of pyrene -PAH exposure), is needed to establish further documentation.
authors.affiliation: Medical and Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo ; Louvain Center for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (LTAP), Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier 53, box 52.02.12, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuakuila
authors.affiliation: Medical and Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kabamba
authors.affiliation: Medical and Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Honoré
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mata
keywords: Biomonitoring; Environmental pollution; Organic compounds; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Public health