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SOURCES OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE PAH
Citation:
Lewtas, J, R W. Williams, S. R. Myers, AND S. Wise. SOURCES OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE PAH. Presented at 17th International Symposium on Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, Bordeaux, France, October 25-29, 1999.
Description:
Personal exposures to airborne particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied in several populations in the US, Japan, and Czech Republic. Personal exposure monitors, developed for human exposure biomonitoring studies were used to collect fine particles (<_ 1.7um) on a filter. PAHs were measured in organic extracts of the particles using HPLC/fluorescence and GC/MS. Personal exposure concentrations were measured in ng PAH/m3 air sampled. A wide range of exposure concentrations was measured. For example, personal air concentrations to BaP ranged from <0.05 to 1.97 in Research Triangle Park, NC; from 0.29 to 35.2 in Tokyo, Japan; from 0.30 to 22.0 in Ostrava, CZ; from 0.30 to 5.4 in Teplice, CZ and from 0.20 to 4.0 in Prachatice, CZ. In several of these studies, exposure biomarkers were also measured in blood and urine. Blood samples were analyzed for metabolic genotype, DNA adducts, and trace metals. Urine samples were analyzed for PAH and PAH metabolites. In the Czech Republic, personal exposure concentrations to fine particles and PAH were correlated with excretion of PAH metabolites in urine, several trace metals in blood, and DNA adducts in white blood cells. Indoor exposures to tobacco smoke were controlled by monitoring urinary cotinine and airborne nicotine which were highly correlated. This study examines the PAH profile for the major air pollution emission sources found in the different geographic areas and compares these to the PAH profile for the personal exposures in each study. Where possible, we also examine the use of urinary PAH metabolites to estimate the contribution of specific sources to human exposure to PAH. The major sources of PAH in outdoor air varied across these studies from coal to petroleum combustion products.
This work has been funded in part by the United States Protection Agency and has been subjected to Agency review and approved for publication.