DNA-adducts in subjects exposed to urban air pollution by benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Cotonou, Benin

• Published in: Environmental toxicology Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 93 - 102
• Main Authors: Ayi-Fanou, Lucie, Avogbe, Patrice H, Fayomi, Benjamin, Keith, Gerard, Hountondji, Codjo, Creppy, Edmond E, Autrup, Herman, Rihn, Bertrand Henri, Sanni, Ambaliou
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.02.2011; Wiley
• Subjects: 32P postlabelling; Adult; air; Air Pollutants; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - toxicity; Air Pollutants - urine; Air pollution; analysis; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Autoradiography; Benin; benzene; Benzene - analysis; Benzene - toxicity; Benzo(a)pyrene; Benzo(a)pyrene - analysis; Benzo(a)pyrene - metabolism; Benzo(a)pyrene - toxicity; Biological and medical sciences; biomarkers; Biomarkers - urine; chronic diseases; DNA adducts; DNA Adducts - metabolism; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring; exposed and none exposed subjects; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gasoline; General aspects; genetic variation; genotoxicity; Humans; Inhalation Exposure; Inhalation Exposure - analysis; Inhalation Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Life Sciences; Male; metabolism; nucleotides; PAHs; people; pollutants; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - urine; public health; risk; Rural Population; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; statistics & numerical data; street foods; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; toxicity; Urban Population; Urban Population - statistics & numerical data; urine; Vehicle Emissions; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; Vehicle Emissions - toxicity; Young Adult; Benin; Africa; P postlabelling; Ecotoxicology; Hydrocarbon; Toxicity; Urban area; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Persistent organic pollutant; DNA-adducts; Benzene; DNA; Environment; Air pollution; PAHs; exposed and none exposed subjects; Molecular adduct; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 1520-4081; 1522-7278; 1522-7278
• DOI: 10.1002/tox.20533

Air pollution effect on humans represents a major public health problem. Exposure to genotoxic compounds in the ambient air is evaluated using different biomarkers. In the present study we assessed DNA-adducts levels in apparently healthy people living and working in the city of Cotonou (Benin) in which exposure to air pollutants such as benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) mainly benzo(a)pyrene has been evidenced. Rural inhabitants were enrolled as control group. Taxi-motorbike drivers, street food vendors, and gasoline salesmen were recruited in Cotonou whereas suburban residents were recruited in Godomey, 12 km from Cotonou. We found that taxi-motorbike drivers, roadside residents, street vendors, taxi-motor-bike drivers and gasoline sellers had significantly higher levels of DNA-adducts than suburban and village inhabitants (P < 0.001; post hoc, LSD). Means values were 24.6 ± 6.4, 23.78 ± 6.9, 34.7 ± 9.8, and 37.2 ± 8.1 in the exposed groups versus 2.1 ± 0.6 and 3.1 ± 0.8 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides, in the two control groups, respectively. We did not find any significant difference within the high exposuregroups and inside low exposure subgroups (namely suburban residents and villagers) because the mean individual exposure values to both PAHs and benzene were similar among subjects exposed in the city of Cotonou and those in suburban and village areas. However, there is significant interindividual variations in adducts levels that may reflect variation of genetic susceptibility factors. Ranges of adduct level/10⁸ nucleotides were: 1-69, 1-76, 3-169, 4-124, 0-9, 0-8 adducts/10⁸ for taxi-motorbike drivers, roadside residents, street vendors, gasoline sellers, suburban and village inhabitants, respectively. Our study demonstrated a clear-cut elevated level of DNA adducts in city residents than in none exposed people (or very low exposure levels people) and designate these city residents groups as people at risks for the chronic diseases possibly caused by benzene and PAHs.