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

• Published in: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention Vol. 15; no. 7; pp. 1376 - 1381
• Main Authors: Gunier, Robert B., Reynolds, Peggy, Hurley, Susan E., Yerabati, Sauda, Hertz, Andrew, Strickland, Paul, Horn-Ross, Pamela L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 01.07.2006
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; biological monitoring; Biomarkers - metabolism; Cooking; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Epidemiology; exposure assessment; Female; geographic information system; Geographic Information Systems; Geography; Glucuronates - urine; Humans; Male; Meat; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - adverse effects; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - pharmacokinetics; Pyrenes; road traffic; Smoking - adverse effects; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco Smoke Pollution; Tumors; United States; North America; America; Human; Estimation; Biological marker; Pyrene derivatives; Exposure; Method; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Epidemiology; Biological monitoring; Carcinogen; Survey; Cancerology; Geographic information system; Public health; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1055-9965; 1538-7755
• DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-05-0799

Our objective was to compare polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure estimates based on survey, biological monitoring, and geographic information system (GIS) methods. The 304 participants in this study supplied a urine sample and completed questionnaires about exposure to potential PAH sources. We assayed urine samples for 1-hydroxypyrene- O -glucuronide (1-OHPG), the major metabolite of pyrene, a common PAH. We used a GIS to estimate traffic exhaust exposure using vehicle count data at the residence and workplace. The five subjects who reported smoking during the 48-hour period had median 1-OHPG concentrations 10-fold that of nonsmokers (1.6 versus 0.16 pmol/mL; P = 0.01). Among nonsmokers, those who reported eating grilled, roasted, or broiled meat had significantly higher 1-OHPG concentrations than those who did not reported eating meat prepared by these methods (0.25 versus 0.06 pmol/mL; P = 0.02). Nonsmokers who reported traveling on roads for ≥3 hours during the 48-hour period also had significantly higher 1-OHPG levels than those who traveled <3 hours (0.23 versus 0.11 pmol/mL; P = 0.03). 1-OHPG levels were also correlated with hours of secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmokers ( P = 0.04). In this study, 1-OHPG urine concentrations were not associated with self-reported exposures to cooking smoke, wood burning, or traffic levels near the home or to traffic density or urban/rural status determined using a GIS. Self-reported indicators of residential proximity to high traffic volume were, however, associated with GIS traffic density measures. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(7):1376–81)