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

Abstract

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.

Air Pollution and Primary DNA Damage among Zagreb (Croatia) Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Since the comet assay serves as a potential cancer-predictive biomonitoring tool [23], there was a clear rationale for conducting this study. Several studies examined the impacts of high PAH exposure on children residing near heavy traffic roads or industry and noted higher blood cell comet assay descriptors compared to control populations [50][51][52][53][54], while our results align with the biomonitoring results characterizing a reference site with only occasional PM limit exceedances [55]. Some studies used salivary cells as target cells for the air pollution and did not find an increase in DNA damage in relation to air pollutants in Brescia's preschool children [56].…”

The Comet Assay as a Tool in Human Biomonitoring Studies of Environmental and Occupational Exposure to Chemicals—A Systematic Scoping Review

“…These studies were performed in Europe (n = 17; 36.2%), followed by Asia (n = 14; 28.8%), South America (n = 14; 28.8%), and Africa (n = 2; 4.3%). Regarding exposure to PAHs, from a total of eight (17.2%) studies, five (62.5%) were performed in children [ 129 , 131 , 135 , 154 , 156 ] and the other three (37.5%) in adults [ 133 , 150 , 158 ]. From six studies conducted in children and adolescents, two studies reported a combined exposure between PAHs, metals, and VOCs [ 149 , 160 ], and two others besides these chemical substances were also phthalates [ 73 , 139 ].…”

“…From a total of 44 studies, 35 (74.5%) performed exposure assessments; air sampling was measured in twelve (25.5%) studies, seven (14.9%) measured ambient PM, and four (8.5%) specifically quantified PAHs from PM extracts [ 127 , 135 , 140 , 156 ]. Ten (21.3%) studies measured urinary 1-OHP, an internal biomarker of PAH exposure, and 12 (25.5%) measured other metabolites in urine or blood.…”

Remediation of Contaminated Soil by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Using Composting

“…The most of the people in the world did not know or reorganized that the PAHs is an organic pollutant that will destroy the environment and human health. Therefore, the anthropogenic activities implemented by humans will still release or dispose of the PAHs into the environment without considering the warning or caution given by the government [34]. Some industries did not reduce the amount of PAHs before it released or discharged to the environment.…”