High human exposure to pyrene (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) in Kinshasa, a capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Published in: Archives of public health = Archives belges de santé publique Vol. 71; no. 1; p. 14
• Main Authors: Tuakuila, Joel, Kabamba, Martin, Mata, Honoré
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 19.06.2013; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Age; Biological monitoring; Charcoal; Consumption; Food; Health aspects; High performance liquid chromatography; Meat; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Population; Public health; Regression analysis; Rural areas; Smoking; Urban areas; Urine; Congo (Kinshasa); Biomonitoring; Environmental pollution; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Public health; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 2049-3258; 0778-7367; 2049-3258
• DOI: 10.1186/0778-7367-71-14

Data on human exposure to chemicals in Africa are scarce. A biomonitoring study was conducted in a representative sample of the population in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) to document exposure to polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbons. 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) was measured by HPLC fluorescence in spot urine samples from 220 individuals (50.5% women), aged 6-70 years living in the urban area and from 50 additional subjects from the sub-rural area of Kinshasa. Data were compiled as geometric means and selected percentiles, expressed without (μg/L) or with creatinine adjustment (μg/g cr). Multiple regression analyses were applied to factors (creatinine, grilled meat habits and smoking habits) influencing 1-OHP (stepwise procedure, criteria: probability F to enter ≤ 0.05 and probability F to remove ≥ 0.10). According to the regression models, creatinine, grilled meat habits and smoking habits contribute to explain 45% of the variation in population's urinary 1-OHP by the environmental exposure. Overall, living in urban area of Kinshasa was associated with increased levels of 1-OHP in urine as compared to a population living in the sub-rural area [GM: 1.8 μg/L (n = 220) versus 1.4 μg/L (n = 50), p < 0.01] as well as compared to the reference values from databases involving American or German populations. This study reveals the high pyrene (PAH) exposure of the Kinshasa population. However, more work, with a rigorous design in the exposed population (monitoring of air concentrations and identifying other sources of pyrene -PAH exposure), is needed to establish further documentation.