Assessment of Micronucleus Frequency and Respiratory Health Symptoms Among Traffic Policemen Exposed to Btex and PM2.5 in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Bakar

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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This study aimed to investigate the association between particulate PAHs exposure and DNA damage in Malaysian schoolchildren in heavy traffic (HT) and low traffic (LT) areas. PAH samples at eight schools were collected using a low volume sampler for 24 h and quantified using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Two hundred and twenty-eight buccal cells of children were assessed for DNA damage using Comet Assay. Monte-Carlo simulation was performed to determine incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and to check the uncertainty and sensitivity of the estimated risk. Total PAH concentrations in the schools in HT area were higher than LT area ranging from 4.4 to 5.76 ng m−3 and 1.36 to 3.79 ng m−3, respectively. The source diagnostic ratio showed that PAHs in the HT area is pyrogenic, mainly from diesel emission. The 95th percentile of the ILCR for children in HT and LT area were 2.80 × 10−7 and 1.43 × 10−7, respectively. The degree of DNA damage was significantly more severe in children in the HT group compared to LT group. This study shows that total indoor PAH exposure was the most significant factor that influenced the DNA damage among children. Further investigation of the relationship between PAH exposure and genomic integrity in children is required to shed additional light on potential health risks.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Influence of Environmental Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Exposure on DNA Damage among School Children in Urban Traffic Area, Malaysia

Hisamuddin

Bakar

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…Malaysian traffic police have a duty to regulate, control, and divert traffic and the majority of them work until their retirement. This means they are continuously exposed to toxic air pollutants while working in the middle of roads and are at risk of possible adverse health effects (Muhammad et al, 2012(Muhammad et al, , 2014Awang et al, 2018Awang et al, , 2019Awang et al, , 2020.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

BTEX Exposure Assessment and Inhalation Health Risks to Traffic Policemen in the Klang Valley Region, Malaysia

Fandi

Latif

et al. 2020

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene (collectively referred to as BTEX), which are prevalent in the ambient air of urban environments, potentially cause chronic health effects, particularly among outdoor workers. Aim of this study was to evaluate BTEX concentrations in the Klang Valley of Malaysia and assess the health risks to urban traffic police officers, whose duties include controlling the traffic flow and enforcing traffic laws. Air samples were collected with low-flow personal samplers during the officers' work shifts outdoors, and the BTEX content was then analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with thermal desorption (TD). A probabilistic method based on Monte Carlo simulation was applied to determine the cancer risk (CR) and hazard quotient (HQ), and a sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the greatest contributors to the estimated risks. The total BTEX concentration in the samples averaged 211.83 µg m -3 , with the largest component being toluene (averaging 89.08 µg m -3 in concentration), followed by m,p-xylene (37.25 µg m -3 ), o-xylene (35.80 µg m -3 ), benzene (25.82 µg m -3 ), and ethylbenzene (23.89 µg m -3 ). The average CR value for benzene (5.31 × 10 -6 ) as well as the 95 th percentiles of the CR values for benzene and ethylbenzene (1.70 × 10 -5 and 2.12 × 10 -6 , respectively) exceeded the acceptable level of exposure (1.0 × 10 -6 ). The HQ values for all of the BTEX species were less than one. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the most influential parameter in increasing the estimated CR and HQ was the exposure duration, followed by the BTEX concentration. The estimated CR indicates that the prolonged exposure to benzene and ethylbenzene experienced by traffic police officers exacerbates the risk of adverse health effects. These results, which provide baseline data for determining the occupational risk to individuals who are exposed to BTEX while working on or near a road, emphasize the need for additional regulations, including the use of appropriate respiratory protective equipment.

“…Although TVOC typically records higher concentration indoors, the findings in this study did not show similar outcomes because there was a limited source of TVOC, such as paints and floorings. The detected TVOC concentration was most likely contributed by traffic emissions outdoors, such as benzene, ethylbenzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, as previous local studies had reported [49,53]. These four aro-matics compounds are more commonly known as BTEX, resulting from traffic exhaust emissions and indoor sources.…”

Section: Concentrations Of Air Pollutants In Schoolsmentioning

confidence: 76%

The Influence of Traffic-Related Air Pollution (TRAP) in Primary Schools and Residential Proximity to Traffic Sources on Histone H3 Level in Selected Malaysian Children

Suhaimi

Bakar

2021

IJERPH

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This study aimed to investigate the association between traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) exposure and histone H3 modification among school children in high-traffic (HT) and low-traffic (LT) areas in Malaysia. Respondents’ background information and personal exposure to traffic sources were obtained from questionnaires distributed to randomly selected school children. Real-time monitoring instruments were used for 6-h measurements of PM10, PM2.5, PM1, NO2, SO2, O3, CO, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). Meanwhile, 24-h measurements of PM2.5-bound black carbon (BC) were performed using air sampling pumps. The salivary histone H3 level was captured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HT schools had significantly higher PM10, PM2.5, PM1, BC, NO2, SO2, O3, CO, and TVOC than LT schools, all at p < 0.001. Children in the HT area were more likely to get higher histone H3 levels (z= -5.13). There were positive weak correlations between histone H3 level and concentrations of NO2 (r = 0.37), CO (r = 0.36), PM1 (r = 0.35), PM2.5 (r = 0.34), SO2 (r = 0.34), PM10 (r = 0.33), O3 (r = 0.33), TVOC (r = 0.25), and BC (r = 0.19). Overall, this study proposes the possible role of histone H3 modification in interpreting the effects of TRAP exposure via non-genotoxic mechanisms.