title: Environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): The correlation with and impact on reproductive hormones in umbilical cord serum.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a type of ubiquitous pollutant with the potential ability to cause endocrine disruption that would have an adverse health impact on the general population. To assess the maternal exposure to PAHs in neonates and evaluate the possible impact of PAHs on reproductive hormone levels, the concentration of PAHs and reproductive hormone levels in the umbilical cord serum of 98 mother-infant pairs in the Shengsi Islands were investigated. The median concentration of total PAHs was determined to be 164 (Inter-Quartile Range, IQR 93.6-267) ng g-1lipid, and 68% of the PAHs were lower-molecule congeners. The highest level was found for pyrene (PYR) and naphthalene (NAP), which contributed 54.6% of all the PAHs present in the samples. The exposure to PAHs negatively affected estradiol (E2) and Anti-Mullerian hormones (AMH) and positively affected FSH in the umbilical cord serum. The result expanded the database of the human burden of PAHs and suggested that PAHs can act as a type of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical (EDC). These results may help to understand the complex pathways involved in disorders of human reproductive health associated with prenatal exposure to PAHs.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation & Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation & Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Mengling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation & Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation & Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Tianle
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation & Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: wliu@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; D004958:Estradiol; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; C030984:pyrene
keywords: Environmental exposure; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Reproductive hormones; Umbilical cord serum