title: Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites levels in a representative sample of the Spanish adult population: The BIOAMBIENT.ES project.
abstract: In 2009, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment promoted the BIOAMBIENT.ES project, a Human Biomonitoring program on the national scale to estimate reference levels of environmental pollutants on a representative sample of the Spanish adults. The present study focuses on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The urinary metabolites 1-hydroxypyrene, 1-,2-,3-,4- and 9-hydroxyphenanthrene and 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene were selected as indicators of PAH exposure. Urine samples from 957 subjects (16-65 years old) were collected during year 2009-2010. Geometric mean and 95th percentile for 1-hydroxypyrene in μg g(-1) creatinine were 0.117 (non-smoker: 0.079, smokers: 0.184) and 0.67 μg g(-1) creatinine (non-smokers: 0.31, smokers: 0.69) respectively. GM and 95th percentile for sum of hydroxyphenanthrenes in μg g(-1) creatinine were 0.130 (non-smokers: 0.089, smokers: 0.317) and 1.29 (non-smokers: 0.71, smokers: 1.51) respectively. 3-Hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene was below the limit of quantitation (0.05 μg L(-1)) in all cases. Significant differences (p<0.05) regarding smokers and non-smokers, coal and wood heating, body mass index and second hand smoke were found, while other variables like gender, age, or diet showed no significant association. The geographical distribution of the metabolites showed higher levels in people who lived in the north and northwest of Spain. The PAH metabolites levels found were in the same range or lower than those reported from other European countries and they were higher than those found in the U.S. This study represents the first nationwide survey of exposure to PAHs in Spain and provides a background reference range for exposure to PAHs in the Spanish adult occupied population.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartolomé
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cutanda
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Huetos
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.affiliation: Ibermutuamur, Ramírez de Arellano 27, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Moraga
authors.affiliation: Ibermutuamur, Ramírez de Arellano 27, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pérez-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health (CNSA), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: castano@isciii.es.
authors.forename: Argelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castaño
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D011721:Pyrenes; D013030:Spain; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; C030984:pyrene; C091375:9-phenanthrol; D003404:Creatinine; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene
keywords: 1-Hydroxypyrene; Human Biomonitoring; Hydroxyphenanthrene; PAH urinary metabolites; Spain