Health and carcinogenic risk evaluation for cohorts exposed to PAHs in petrochemical workplaces in Rawalpindi city (Pakistan).
This study presents the analyses of urinary biomarkers (1-OHPyr, α- and β-naphthols) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure and biomarkers of effect (i.e. blood parameters) in petroleum-refinery workers (RFs) and auto-repair workers (MCs). Exposed subjects had higher concentrations of white blood cell (WBC) count than control subjects (CN) subjects (5.31 × 10(3) μL(-1) in exposed vs. 5.15 × 10(3) μL(-1) in CN subjects), while the biomarker of oxidative DNA damage (8-OHdG) was significantly higher in MCs. The exposure among these two cohorts could be influenced by the ambience of the workplaces; in fact, MCs' shops are relatively damp and enclosed workplaces in comparison with the indoor environment of refineries. PAHs in the dust samples from mechanical workshops probably originated from mixed sources (traffic exhaust and petroleum spills), while the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for MCs showed moderate-to-low cancer risk from exposure to dust-bound PAHs. The study shows that increasing PAH exposure can be traced in MC workstations and needs to be investigated for the safety of public health.
a Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences , Quaid-I-Azam University , Islamabad , Pakistan.
Atif
A
Kamal
b Department of Chemistry , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
Alessandra
A
Cincinelli
b Department of Chemistry , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
Tania
T
Martellini
b Department of Chemistry , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
Ilaria
I
Palchetti
b Department of Chemistry , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
Francesca
F
Bettazzi
a Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences , Quaid-I-Azam University , Islamabad , Pakistan.
Riffat Naseem
RN
Malik
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002947:Cities; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D000066388:Oil and Gas Industry; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine; D018570:Risk Assessment; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens; D004391:Dust; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
Pakistan; auto-mechanic shops; oxidative stress; petrol refinery; traffic pollution