Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among Dutch children.

Abstract

We determined the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) concentration and the creatinine-adjusted 1-HP concentration in 644 randomly selected Dutch children, aged 1-6 years and living in five areas with roughly different levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and ambient air. The presence of other factors that might influence the exposure to PAHs was studied using a questionnaire. To evaluate the reliability of a single urinary 1-HP determination, measurements were repeated after 3 weeks for approximately 200 children. The mean urinary 1-HP content of the total study population was 2.06 nmol/l. This varied from 1.58 nmol/l in the reference area (Flevoland) to 2.71 nmol/l in the valley of the Geul. Only indoor sources of PAHs showed a small, positive association with urinary 1-HP. The urinary 1-HP concentrations of children from the valley of the Geul were higher (p < 0.01) and those of children from a suburb of Amsterdam were lower (p < 0.01) than those of children from the reference area. The possible ambient environment-related differences were probably too small to be detected in the variations of the intake of PAHs from the daily diet. The reliability of a single 1-HP measurement was low. Similar results were obtained with the creatinine-adjusted data. In one neighborhood built on coal-mine tailings, the urinary 1-HP content in children was weakly but positively associated with the PAH content in the upper soil layer of the garden of their homes. However, this association was not found for the children from the other neighborhood built on coal-mine tailings and with similar PAH levels in soil.

Seasonal and Regional Contributors of 1-Hydroxypyrene among Children near a Steel Mill

“…Dutch studies showed the contribution of SHS in nonoccupationally exposed male adults (27) and children (28), whereas several studies (26, 29) did not. Ukraine study showed an effect of SHS among total groups of children but not within unexposed and exposed group (12).…”

Environmental exposure of small children to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

“…The geometric mean of our urinary 1-OHP values in children varied between 148 and 259 ng/l (0.05 and 0.12 lmol/mol creatinine). In a study performed among Dutch children (3±6 years-old), Van Wijnen et al (1996) found that the geometric means of 1-OHP varied between 0.18 and 0.25 lmol/mol creatinine.…”

“…Up to now, only one study (Van Wijnen et al 1996) followed up the intake of PAH in small children, who could be more exposed to PAH than adults. It is known that small children spend much of their time outdoors in close contact with soil.…”

Estimating Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: A Comparison of Survey, Biological Monitoring, and Geographic Information System–Based Methods

“…Two studies have observed significantly higher levels of 1-hydroxypyrene in the urine of residents from more urban areas (60,61), but another study did not find such a trend among children (62). PAH concentrations measured in homes of nonsmokers were also attributed mainly to vehicle emissions in an urban area of Germany (63).…”