Trajectories of long-term exposure to PCB153 and Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) air pollution and risk of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: While genetic, hormonal, and lifestyle factors partially elucidate the incidence of breast cancer, emerging research has underscored the potential contribution of air pollution. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) are of particular concern due to endocrine-disrupting properties and their carcinogenetic effect. OBJECTIVE: To identify distinct long term trajectories of exposure to PCB153 and BaP, and estimate their associations with breast cancer risk. METHODS: We used data from the XENAIR case-control study, nested within the ongoing prospective French E3N cohort which enrolled 98,995 women aged 40-65 years in 1990-1991. Cases were incident cases of primary invasive breast cancer diagnosed from cohort entry to 2011. Controls were randomly selected by incidence density sampling, and individually matched to cases on delay since cohort entry, and date, age, department of residence, and menopausal status at cohort entry. Annual mean outdoor PCB153 and BaP concentrations at residential addresses from 1990 to 2011 were estimated using the CHIMERE chemistry-transport model. Latent class mixed models were used to identify profiles of exposure trajectories from cohort entry to the index date, and conditional logistic regression to estimate their association with the odds of breast cancer. RESULTS: 5058 cases and 5059 controls contributed to the analysis. Five profiles of trajectories of PCB153 exposure were identified. The class with the highest PCB153 concentrations had a 69% increased odds of breast cancer compared to the class with the lowest concentrations (95% CI 1.08, 2.64), after adjustment for education and matching factors. The association between identified BaP trajectories and breast cancer was weaker and suffered from large CI. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support an association between long term exposure to PCB153 and the risk of breast cancer, and encourage further studies to account for lifetime exposure to persistent organic pollutants.

Long-term spatiotemporal variation of benzo[a]pyrene in Japan: Significant decrease in ambient concentrations, human exposure, and health risk.

Although Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is considered carcinogenic to humans, the health effects of exposure to ambient levels have not been sufficiently investigated. This study estimated the long-term spatiotemporal variation of BaP in Japan over nearly two decades at a fine spatial resolution of 1 km. This study aimed to obtain an accurate spatiotemporal distribution of BaP that can be used in epidemiological studies on the health effects of ambient BaP exposure. The annual BaP concentrations were estimated using an ensemble machine learning approach using various predictors, including the concentrations and emission intensities of the criteria air pollutants, and meteorological, land use, and traffic-related variables. The model performance, evaluated by location-based cross-validation, exhibited satisfactory accuracy (R2 of 0.693). Densely populated areas showed higher BaP levels and greater temporal reduction, whereas BaP levels remained higher in some industrial areas. The population-weighted BaP in 2018 was 0.12 ng m-3, a decrease of approximately 70% from its 2000 value of 0.44 ng m-3, which was also reflected in the estimated excess number of lung cancer incidences. Accordingly, the proportion of BaP exposure below 0.12 ng m-3, which is the BaP concentration associated with an excess lifetime cancer risk of 10-5, reached 67% in 2018. Our estimates can be used in epidemiological studies to assess the health effects of BaP exposure at ambient concentrations.

Dual-template magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for selective extraction and sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 and benzo(α)pyrene in environmental water and edible oil.

The coexistence of multiple contaminates in the environment and food is of growing concern due to their extremely hazard as a well-known class I carcinogen, like aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and benzo(α)pyrene (BaP). AFB1 and BaP are susceptible to coexistence in environmental water and edible oil, posing a significant potential risk to environmental monitoring and food safety. The remaining challenges in detecting multiple contaminates include unsatisfied sensitivity, insufficient targets selectivity, and interferences in complex matrices. Here, we developed dual-template magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (DMMIPs) for selective extraction of dual targets in complex matrices from the environment and food. The DMMIPs were fabricated by surface imprinting with vinyl-functionalized Fe3O4 as carrier, 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin and pyrene as dummy templates, and methacrylamide as functional monomer. The DMMIPs showed excellent adsorption ability (12.73-15.80 mg/g), imprinting factors (2.01-2.58), and reusability of three adsorption-desorption cycles for AFB1 and BaP. The adsorption mechanism including hydrogen bond, electrostatic interaction and van der Waals force was confirmed by physical characterization and DFT calculation. Applying DMMIPs in magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis enabled detection limits of 0.134 µg/L for AFB1 and 0.107 µg/L for BaP. Recovery rates for water and edible oil samples were recorded as 86.2%-110.3% with RSDs of 4.1%-11.9%. This approach demonstrates potential for simultaneous identification and extraction of multiple contaminants in environmental and food.

Ratiometric sandwich-type assays for RNAs with a point mutation using benzo[a]pyrene-modified probes.

Benzo[a]pyrene-modified oligonucleotides were developed for the detection of RNAs with a point mutation. The probes produced two distinct fluorescence signals in response to single nucleotide differences in the RNA sequences, allowing for discrimination between the matched and single base mismatched RNA sequences in colorimetric and ratiometric manners.

Dietary exposure to polyaromatic hydrocarbons of the Hong Kong population.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment and food. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives concluded 13 individual PAHs are carcinogenic and genotoxic in vitro and in vivo. Food is recognized as the main source of exposure to PAHs for adult non-smokers, which contributed to more than 90% of total exposure. In this study, 300 food samples were collected in Hong Kong, analysed the levels of 16 European Union priority PAHs, the dietary exposure to these PAHs by the local adult population from these food items, and the associated health risk. The most predominant detectable PAH was chrysene (CHR) (14.4%), followed by benzo[c]fluorene (11.2%), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) (10.6%) and benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbFA) (7.8%). The dietary exposures for average consumers of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and PAH4 (sum of BaP, CHR, BaA and BbFA) were 0.13-0.90 and 1.4-4.2 ng/kg bw/day respectively for lower and upper bound approaches. Cereal and its products contributed more than 50% to BaP and PAH4 for average consumers in a lower-bound approach. The margin of exposure (MOE) approach was used to assess the health risks of consumers. The calculated MOE values for both BaP and PAH4 of the average and high consumers (90th percentile) were >50,000, indicating a low concern for the health of the Hong Kong population.

Review of environmental airborne pyrene/benzo[a]pyrene levels from industrial emissions for the improvement of 1-hydroxypyrene biomonitoring interpretation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants of significant public health concern, with several that are highly toxic to humans, including some proven or suspected carcinogens. To account for the high variability of PAH mixtures encountered in occupational settings, adjusting urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) levels by the total airborne pyrene (PyrT)/benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) ratio is essential for human biomonitoring (HBM). Given the complexity and cost of systematically monitoring atmospheric levels, alternative approaches to simultaneous airborne and HBM are required. The aim of this review was to catalog airborne PyrT/BaP ratios measured during different industrial activities and recommend 1-OHP-dedicated biological guidance values (BGV). A literature search was conducted. Seventy-one studies were included, with 5619 samples pertaining to 15 industrial sectors, 79 emission processes, and 213 occupational activities. This review summarized more than 40 years of data from almost 20 countries and highlighted the diversity and evolution of PAH emissions. PyrT/BaP ratios were highly variable, ranging from 0.8 in coke production to nearly 40 in tire and rubber production. A single PyrT/BaP value cannot apply to all occupational contexts, raising the question of the relevance of defining a single biological limit value for 1-OHP in industrial sectors where the PyrT/BaP ratio variability is high. Based upon the inventory, a practical approach is proposed for systematic PAH exposure and risk assessment, with a simple frame to follow based upon specific 1-OHP BGVs depending upon the occupational context and setup of a free PAH HBM interactive tool.

The fate of an inhaled cigarette puff in the human respiratory tract.

OBJECTIVE: Cigarette smoking can lead to a host of adverse health effects such as lung and heart disease. Increased lung cancer risk is associated with inhalation of carcinogens present in a puff of smoke. These carcinogenic compounds deposit in the lung at different sites and trigger a cascade of events leading to adverse outcomes. Understanding the site-specific deposition of various smoke constituents will inform the study of respiratory diseases from cigarette smoking. We previously developed a deposition model for inhalation of aerosol from electronic nicotine delivery systems. In this study, the model was modified to simulate inhalation of cigarette smoke consisting of soluble and insoluble tar, nicotine, and cigarette-specific constituents that are known or possible human carcinogens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The deposition model was further modified to account for nicotine protonation and other cigarette-specific physics-based mechanisms that affect smoke deposition. Model predictions showed a total respiratory tract uptake in the lung for formaldehyde (99%), nicotine (80%), and benzo[a]pyrene (60%). RESULTS: The site of deposition and uptake depended primarily on the constituent's saturation vapor pressure. High vapor pressure constituents such as formaldehyde were preferentially absorbed in the oral cavity and proximal lung regions, while low vapor pressure constituents such as benzo[a]pyrene were deposited in the deep lung regions. Model predictions of exhaled droplet size, droplet retention, nicotine retention, and uptake of aldehydes compared favorably with experimental data. CONCLUSION: The deposition model can be integrated into exposure assessments and other studies that evaluate potential adverse health effects from cigarette smoking.

A smartphone-assisted photoelectrochemical POCT method via Z-scheme CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 for simultaneously detecting co-contamination with microplastics in food and the environment.

As emerging contaminants, microplastics threaten food and environmental safety. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP, released from microplastics) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, adsorbed on microplastics) coexisted in food and the environment, harming human health, requesting a sensitive and simultaneous testing method to monitor. To address current sensitivity, simultaneousness, and on-site portability challenges during dual targets in complex matrixes, CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 nanoflower was designed to develop a smartphone-assisted photoelectrochemical point-of-care test (PEC POCT). The carrier transfer mechanism in CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 was proven via density functional theory calculation. Under optimal conditions, the PEC POCT showed low detection limits of 0.126, and 0.132 pg/mL, wide linearity of 0.001-500, and 0.0005-50 ng/mL for DBP and BaP, respectively. The smartphone-assisted PEC POCT demonstrated satisfied recoveries (80.00%-119.63%) in real samples. Coherent results were recorded by comparing the PEC POCT to GC-MS (DBP) and HPLC (BaP). This novel method provides a practical platform for simultaneous POCT for food safety and environment monitoring.

Consumption of hookahs, e-cigarettes, and classic cigarettes and the impact on medically assisted reproduction treatment.

Smoking of classic cigarettes has been well-established as a health risk factor, including cardiovascular, neurological, and pulmonary diseases. Adverse effects on human reproduction have also been shown. Smokers are assumed to have a significantly lower chance of pregnancy, however, the impact of smoking on medically assisted reproduction (MAR) treatment outcomes is controversial. Moreover, smoking habits have changed during the last decades since e-cigarettes and hookahs, or water pipes, have become very popular, yet little is known regarding vaping or hookah-smoking patients undergoing MAR treatments. This prospective study aimed to examine the presence of benzo[a]pyrene, nicotine, and its main metabolite, cotinine, in human follicular fluid (FF) in non-smoking, smoking, and vaping/hookah-smoking patients and to evaluate the impact on female fertility. Human FF samples were collected from 320 women subjected to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles due to male subfertility. Gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry was used to analyse the presence of benzo[a]pyrene, nicotine, and cotinine. A questionnaire was provided to assess patient consumption behaviour and to identify (1) non-smoking patients, (2) patients who consumed cigarettes, and (3) patients with exclusive consumption of e-cigarettes or hookahs. Data were analysed using linear and logistic regression, Fisher's exact test, and the Mann-Whitney U Test. Nicotine was present in 22 (6.8%) and cotinine in 65 (20.3%) of the 320 samples. The nicotine and cotinine concentrations per sample ranged from 0 to 26.3 ng/ml and 0-363.0 ng/ml, respectively. Benzo[a]pyrene was not detectable in any of the samples analysed. Nicotine and cotinine were also present in the FF of patients with exclusive consumption of e-cigarettes or hookahs. The clinical pregnancy rate, fertilization and maturation rates, and number of oocytes per oocyte pick-up were not statistically significantly different between non-smoking, smoking, or vaping/hookah-smoking patients. Smoking and the accumulation of smoking toxins in the FF have no impact on the outcome of MAR treatments-neither the clinical pregnancy rate, maturation and fertilization rates, nor the number of retrieved oocytes were affected. For the first time, nicotine and cotinine were quantified in the FF of patients exclusively vaping e-cigarettes or smoking hookahs. Since vaping liquids and hookah tobaccos contain potentially harmful substances, other adverse effects cannot be excluded.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03414567.

A sensitive GC-MS/MS method for the quantification of benzo[a]pyrene tetrol in urine.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants formed during the incomplete combustion of organic matter such as tobacco. Among these, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) has been classified as a known carcinogen to humans. It unfolds its effect through metabolic activation to BaP-(7R,8S)-diol-(9S,10R)-epoxide (BPDE), the ultimate carcinogen of BaP. In this article, we describe a simple and highly sensitive GC-NICI-MS/MS method for the quantification of urinary BaP-(7R,8S,9R,10S)-tetrol (( +)-BPT I-1), the hydrolysis product of BPDE. The method was validated and showed excellent results in terms of accuracy, precision, and sensitivity (lower limit of quantification (LLOQ): 50 pg/L). In urine samples derived from users of tobacco/nicotine products and non-users, only consumption of combustible cigarettes was associated with a significant increase in BPT I-1 concentrations (0.023 ± 0.016 nmol/mol creatinine, p < 0.001). Levels of users of potentially reduced-risk products as well as non-users were all below the LLOQ. In addition, the urine levels of six occupationally exposed workers were analyzed and showed the highest overall concentrations of BPT I-1 (844.2 ± 336.7 pg/L). Moreover, comparison with concentrations of 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3-OH-BaP), the major detoxification product of BaP oxidation, revealed higher levels of 3-OH-BaP than BPT I-1 in almost all study subjects. Despite the lower levels, BPT I-1 can provide more relevant information on an individual's cancers susceptibility since BPDE is generated by the metabolic activation of BaP. In conclusion, BPT I-1 is a suitable biomarker to distinguish not only cigarette smokers from non-smokers but also from users of potentially reduced-risk products.

Composite starch films as green adsorbents for removing benzo[a]pyrene from smoked sausages.

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which is emitted during the processing of smoked sausages, accumulates in sausages and poses a serious threat to human health. This study focused on the removal of BaP from sausages and accompanying particulate matter (PM) during the smoking of sausages by films formed by combining corn starch (CS) with K-carrageenan (KC)/sodium alginate (SA). Initially, the effects of different additions of KC and SA on the rheological analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and film-forming properties of the composite films were investigated. The BaP reduction capacities of CS-KC and CS-SA composite films in sausage were 41.1%-47.0% and 54.2%-56.5%, respectively, because the three-dimensional mesh structure of the composite films provided a large number of adsorption sites. Finally, kinetic studies demonstrated that BaP control in composite films is mainly achieved by intraparticle diffusion. Therefore, due to its excellent recyclability and biodegradability, composite starch film has a promising application in smoked meat products.

Concentrations, sources and risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from the Parnaiba Delta basin, Northeast Brazil.

The Parnaíba River is the main river in the Parnaíba Delta basin, the largest delta in the Americas. About 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were identified and the environmental risk associated with the sediments was evaluated. The study found that PAHs levels ranged from 5.92 to 1521.17 ng g-1, which was classified as low to high pollution, and that there were multiple sources of pollution along the river, with pyrolytic sources predominating, mainly from urban activity such as trucking, although the influence of rural activity cannot be ruled out. PAHs correlated with black carbon and organic matter and showed high correlation with acenaphthylene, phenanthrene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(ghi)perylene, and ∑PAHs. The benzo(a)pyrene levels were classified as a risk to aquatic life because the threshold effect level and the probable effect level were exceeded. In addition, the sediments were classified as slightly contaminated with a benzo(a)pyrene toxicity equivalent value of 108.43 ng g-1. Thus, the priority level PAH exhibited carcinogenic and mutagenic activity that posed a potential risk to human health.

Characterisation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with indoor PM0.1 and PM2.5 in Hanoi and implications for health risks.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with indoor PM pose a high risk to human health because of their toxicity. A total of 160 daily samples of indoor PM2.5 and PM0.1 were collected in Hanoi and analysed for 15 PAHs. In general, the concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs (car-PAHs) accounted for 21% ± 2%, 19.1% ± 2%, and 26% ± 3% of the concentrations of 15 PAHs in PM2.5, PM0.1-2.5, and PM0.1, respectively. Higher percentages of car-PAHs were found in smaller fractions (PM0.1), which can be easily deposited deep in the pulmonary regions of the human respiratory tract. The concentrations of 15 PAHs were higher in winter than in summer. The most abundant PAH species were naphthalene and phenanthrene, accounting for 11%-21% and 19%-23%, respectively. The PAH content in PM0.1 was almost twice as high as those in PM2.5 and PM0.1-2.5. Principal component analysis found that vehicle emissions and the combustion of biomass and coal were the main outdoor sources of PAHs, whereas indoor sources included cooking activities, the combustion of incense, scented candles, and domestic uses in houses. According to the results, 60%-90% of the PM0.1-bound BaP(eq) was deposited in the alveoli region, whereas 63%-75% of the PM2.5-bound BaP(eq) was deposited in head airways (HA), implying that most of the particles deposited in the HA region were PM0.1-2.5. The contributions of dibenz[a,h]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene were dominant and contributed from 36% to 51% and 31%-50%, respectively, to the carcinogenic potential, whereas benzo[a]pyrene contributed from 30% to 49% to the mutagenic potential for both size fractions. The incremental lifetime cancer risk, simulated by Monte Carlo simulation, was within the limits set by the US EPA, indicating an acceptable risk for the occupants. These results provide an additional scientific basis for protecting human health from exposure to indoor PAHs.

New insight into PAH4 induced hepatotoxicity and the dose-response assessment in rats model.

PAH4 (sum of benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, benz[a]anthracene and benzo[b]fluoranthene) has been proposed as better marker than benzo[a]pyrene to assess total PAHs exposure in foodstuffs. However, the toxicological behaviors of PAH4 combined exposure remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate PAH4 toxicity effects with non-targeted metabolomics approach and evaluate the external and internal dose-response relationships based on benchmark dose (BMD) analysis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated by gavage with vehicle (corn oil) or four doses of PAH4 (10, 50, 250, 1000 µg/kg·bw) for consecutive 30 days. After the final dose, the liver, blood and urine samples of rats were subsequently collected for testing. The concentrations of urinary mono-hydroxylated PAHs metabolites (OH-PAHs) including 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3-OHB[a]P), 3-hydroxychrysene (3-OHCHR) and 3-hydroxybenz[a]anthracene (3-OHB[a]A) were determined to reflect internal PAH4 exposure. Our results showed PAH4 exposure increased relative liver weight and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity and caused hepatocyte swelling and degeneration, implying hepatotoxicity induced by PAH4. Serum metabolomics suggested PAH4 exposure perturbed lipid metabolism through upregulating the expression of glycerolipids metabolites, which was evidenced by markedly increased serum triglyceride (TG) level and hepatic TG content. Additionally, urinary OH-PAHs concentrations presented strong positive correlations with the external dose, indicating they were able to reflect PAH4 exposure. Furthermore, PAH4 exposure led to a dose-response increase of hepatic TG content, based on which the 95% lower confidence value of BMDs for external and internal doses were estimated as 5.45 µg/kg·bw and 0.11 µmol/mol·Cr, respectively. In conclusion, this study suggested PAH4 exposure could induce hepatotoxicity and lipid metabolism disorder, evaluating the involved dose-response relationships and providing a basis for the risk assessment of PAHs.

Effect of electric fields strength on soil factors and microorganisms during electro-bioremediation of benzo[a]pyrene-contaminated soil.

Electro-bioremediation is a promising technology for remediating soils contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, the resulting electrokinetic effects and electrochemical reactions may inevitably cause changes in soil factors and microorganism, thereby reducing the remediation efficiency. To avoid negative effect of electric field on soil and microbes and maximize microbial degradability, it is necessary to select a suitable electric field. In this study, artificial benzo [a]pyrene (BaP)-contaminated soil was selected as the object of remediation. Changes in soil factors and microorganisms were investigated under the voltage of 1.0, 2.0, and 2.5 V cm-1 using chemical analysis, real-time PCR, and high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed noticeable changes in soil factors (pH, moisture, electrical conductivity [EC], and BaP concentration) and microbes (PAHs ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase [PAHs-RHDα] gene and bacterial community) after the application of electric field. The degree of change was related to the electric field strength, with a suitable strength being more conducive to BaP removal. At 70 d, the highest mean extent of BaP removal and PAHs-RHDα gene copies were observed in EK2.0 + BIO, reaching 3.37 and 109.62 times those in BIO, respectively, indicating that the voltage of 2.0 V cm-1 was the most suitable for soil microbial growth and metabolism. Changes in soil factors caused by electric fields can affect microbial activity and community composition. Redundancy analysis revealed that soil pH and moisture had the most significant effects on microbial community composition (P < 0.05). The purpose of this study was to determine the appropriate electric field that could be used for electro-bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soil by evaluating the effects of electric fields on soil factors and microbial communities. This study also provides a reference for efficiency enhancement and successful application of electro-bioremediation of soil contaminated with PAHs.

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor for the detection of benzo[a]pyrene in foods based on a gold nanostars@reduced graphene oxide substrate.

In this study, a simple and sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor based on gold nanostars@reduced graphene oxide (AuNS@rGO) was successfully developed for the detection of benzo[a]pyrene in foods. The detection strategy involved benzo[a]pyrene adsorption on reduced graphene oxide, followed SERS detection of adsorbed molecules. Owing to the large electric fields generated by the gold nanostars under laser irradiation, which greatly amplified the Raman signals of benzo[a]pyrene, very high sensitivity for the target analyte was achieved. Under optimized conditions, the SERS sensor exhibited a wide linear detection range for benzo[a]pyrene (from 0.1 µg L-1 to 10000 µg L-1), with a low limit of detection of 0.0028 µg L-1. Chicken samples spiked with benzo[a]pyrene were assayed using the sensor, with recoveries ranging from 89.20% to 100.80%. The benzo[a]pyrene content in roasted mutton sample was quantified using the SERS sensor and a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method, with similar results being obtained.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Chinese diet: contamination characteristics, indicator screening, and health risk assessment.

Polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in foods and environment and possess carcinogenic and mutagenic potential. Foods are the main source of exposure to PAHs in the general population. In this study, we determined the concentrations of 16 European Union priority PAHs in 1,564 foodstuffs acquired from nine provinces and commonly consumed by the Chinese population. The most predominant PAH was chrysene (16.7%), followed by benz[a]anthracene (12.4%) and benzo[b]fluoranthene (11.7%). Edible vegetable oils (17.89 µg/kg) and fruits (1.97 µg/kg) had the highest and lowest concentrations of total PAHs, respectively. Suitable indicators of PAH contamination in foods were assessed based on the occurrence of other PAHs in samples negative for benzo[a]pyrene and the correlation for the PAHs and their combinations. According to our results, PAH4 was a suitable indicator, better than PAH8 and benzo[a]pyrene alone. PAH exposure in the Chinese population was estimated by combining contamination data with national individual food consumption data, based on the middle bound approach. The overall average dietary exposures for BaP and PAH4 were 3.08 and 17.61 ng/kg bw/day, respectively. The major contributors to the total dietary exposure of PAHs were cereals (39%), edible vegetable oils (28%), and vegetables (20%). We used the margin of exposure (MOE) approach to assess health risk for consumers. MOEs of the mean estimated dietary exposures were >10,000, indicating a low concern for the health of the general population and of consumers of smoked, grilled, or barbecued foods. For high consumers and children, the MOEs were <10,000, indicating potential concerns.

Association of smoking and dietary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.

BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants that are potentially hazardous to human health. Dietary exposure is recognized as one of the major pathways of exposure to PAHs among humans. While some PAH exposures have been associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the general population, most epidemiological studies are based on urinary metabolites of a few noncarcinogenic PAHs. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between estimates of dietary exposure to major carcinogenic PAHs and MetS in Korean adults. METHODS: Multi-cycle Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) database (n = 16,015) and PAH measurement data from the total diet survey were employed to estimate daily PAH intake for each participating adult. After adjusting for potential confounders, multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between PAHs and MetS of the participating adults. RESULTS: Benzo(a)pyrene exposure was associated with an increased risk of MetS in men (OR = 1.30; 95% Cl: 1.03-1.63; P-trend = 0.03). In women, however, only chrysene and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c) were positively associated with an increased risk of MetS (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03-1.48; P-trend = 0.0172). Among men, smokers were at an increased risk for MetS, regardless of whether they were exposed to low or high total PAHs and benzo(a)pyrene levels. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggested that PAHs are associated with the risk of MetS and MetS components in Korean adults. In particular, it was confirmed that smoking may influence the relationship between PAH exposure and MetS.Further prospective cohort studies are required to confirm the causal relationship between PAHs and MetS. IMPACT STATEMENT: Epidemiological studies on PAH exposure are often hampered by a lack of reliable exposure estimates, as biomonitoring of urine does not capture exposure to more toxic PAHs. Using multi-cycle KNHANES data and the measurement data from a total diet survey of Korea, we could develop a personalized PAH intake estimate for each participating adult and assessed the association with MetS.

Effects of combined remediation of pre-ozonation and bioaugmentation on degradation of benzo[a]pyrene and microbial community structure in soils.

The combination technique of pre-ozonation and bioaugmentation is promising for remediating benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-contaminated soil. However, little is known about the effect of coupling remediation on the soil biotoxicity, soil respiration, enzyme activity, microbial community structure, and microbial in the process of remediation. This study developed two coupling remediation strategies (pre-ozonation coupled with bioaugmentation by addition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) specific degrading bacteria or activated sludge), compared with sole ozonation and sole bioaugmentation, to improve degradation of BaP and recovery of soil microbial activity and community structure. Results showed that the higher removal efficiency of BaP (92.69-93.19%) was found in coupling remediation, compared with sole bioaugmentation (17.71-23.28%). Meanwhile, coupling remediation significantly reduced the soil biological toxicity, promoted the rebound of microbial counts and activity, and recovered the species numbers and microbial community diversity, compared with sole ozonation and sole bioaugmentation. Besides, it was feasible to replace microbial screening with activated sludge, and coupling remediation by addition of activated sludge was more conducive to the recovery of soil microbial communities and diversity. This work provides a strategy of pre-ozonation coupled with bioaugmentation to further degrade BaP in soil by promoting the rebound of microbial counts and activity, as well as the recovery of species numbers and microbial community diversity.

Modelling benzo(a)pyrene concentrations for different meteorological conditions - Analysis of lung cancer cases and associated economic costs.

Air pollution originating from the household presents a significant burden to public health, especially during the wintertime in countries, such as Poland, where coal substantially contributes to the energy market. One of the most hazardous components of particulate matter is benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). This study focusses on the impact of different meteorological conditions on BaP concentrations in Poland and associated impacts on human health and economic burdens. For this study, we used the EMEP MSC-W atmospheric chemistry transport model with meteorological data from the Weather Research and Forecasting model to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of BaP over Central Europe. The model setup has two nested domains, with the inner domain at 4 km × 4 km over Poland, which is a hotspot for BaP concentrations. The outer domain covers countries surrounding Poland in coarser resolution (12 × 812 km), to ensure that transboundary pollution is properly characterized in the modelling. We investigated the sensitivity to variability in winter meteorological conditions on BaP levels and impacts using data from 3 years: 1) 2018, which represents average meteorological conditions during the winter season (BASE run), 2) 2010 with a cold winter (COLD), and 3) 2020 with a warm winter (WARM). The ALPHA-RiskPoll model was used to analyze the lung cancer cases and associated economic costs. The results show that the majority of Poland exceeds the target level of benzo(a)pyrene (1 ng m-3) mainly due to high concentrations during the cold months. High concentrations of BaP have serious health implications and the number of lung cancers in Poland due to BaP exposure varies from 57 to 77 cases for the WARM and COLD years, respectively. It is reflected in the economic costs, which ranged from 136, through 174 to 185 million euros/year for the WARM, BASE and COLD model runs, respectively.