title: Monitoring exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an Australian population using pooled urine samples.
abstract: Integrated exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be assessed through monitoring of urinary mono-hydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs). The aim of this study was to provide the first assessment of exposure to PAHs in a large sample of the population in Queensland, Australia including exposure to infant (0-4years). De-identified urine specimens, obtained from a pathology laboratory, were stratified by age and sex, and pooled (n=24 pools of 100) and OH-PAHs were measured by gas chromatography-isotope dilution-tandem mass spectrometry. Geometric mean (GM) concentrations ranged from 30ng/L (4-hydroxyphenanthrene) to 9221ng/L (1-naphthol). GM of 1-hydroxypyrene, the most commonly used PAH exposure biomarker, was 142ng/L. The concentrations of OH-PAHs found in this study are consistent with those in developed countries and lower than those in developing countries. We observed no association between sex and OH-PAH concentrations. However, we observed lower urinary concentrations of all OH-PAHs in samples from infants (0-4years), children (5-14years) and the elderly (>60year old) compared with samples from other age groups (15-29, 30-44 and 45-59years) which may be attributed to age-dependent behaviour-specific exposure sources.
authors.affiliation: International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: phong.thai@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Phong K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Thai
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Heffernan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Leisa-Maree L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Toms
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Antonia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Calafat
authors.affiliation: Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Taringa, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hobson
authors.affiliation: The Department of Environment, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broomhall
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Jochen F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009284:Naphthols / Q000652:urine; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000652:urine; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000652:urine*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000652:urine; D011793:Queensland; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009284:Naphthols; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; C029350:1-naphthol; C092103:4-hydroxyphenanthrene; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene
keywords: Biomonitoring; Exposure monitoring; Infant; OH-PAHs; Urinary metabolite