Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in workers.

OBJECTIVES: to identify the scientific evidence on the development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases due to workplace contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. METHODS: integrative literature review. The search for primary articles was held in October 2017 in the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (through Pubmed), Web of Science and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS). RESULTS: the 16 studies analyzed showed that exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as increased blood pressure, heart rate variation, and ischemic heart disease; and respiratory disorders, such as decreased lung function, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, wheeze, coughing, pulmonary wheezing, chest tightness, effort dyspnea, and sore throat. CONCLUSIONS: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons cause deleterious effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems through mutations and cellular inflammation, being a risk to exposed individuals.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in workers / Hidrocarburos policíclicos aromáticos y desarrollo de enfermedades respiratorias y cardiovasculares en trabajadores / Hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos e desenvolvimento de doenças respiratórias e cardiovasculares em trabalhadores

ABSTRACT Objectives: to identify the scientific evidence on the development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases due to workplace contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Methods: integrative literature review. The search for primary articles was held in October 2017 in the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (through Pubmed), Web of Science and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS). Results: the 16 studies analyzed showed that exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as increased blood pressure, heart rate variation, and ischemic heart disease; and respiratory disorders, such as decreased lung function, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, wheeze, coughing, pulmonary wheezing, chest tightness, effort dyspnea, and sore throat. Conclusions: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons cause deleterious effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems through mutations and cellular inflammation, being a risk to exposed individuals.

RESUMEN Objetivos: identificar las evidencias científicas sobre el desarrollo de enfermedades cardiovasculares y respiratorias debido a la contaminación en el ambiente de trabajo por hidrocarburos policíclicos aromáticos. Métodos: revisión integrativa de la literatura. La búsqueda de los artículos primarios se realizó en octubre de 2017 en: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (vía PubMed), Web of Science y Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud. Resultados: los 16 estudios analizados mostraron que la exposición a los hidrocarburos policíclicos aromáticos estuvo asociada a las enfermedades cardiovasculares, como aumento de la presión arterial, variación de la frecuencia cardíaca y enfermedad cardiaca isquémica; y a la respiración, como disminución de la función pulmonar, enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, asma, silbido, tos, sibilancia pulmonar, opresión en el pecho, disnea al esfuerzo y dolor de garganta. Conclusiones: los hidrocarburos policíclicos aromáticos causan efecto deletéreo en el sistema cardiovascular y respiratorio por medio de mutaciones e inflamaciones celulares, siendo un riesgo al individuo expuesto.

RESUMO Objetivos: identificar as evidências científicas sobre o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares e respiratórias devido à contaminação no ambiente de trabalho por hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos. Métodos: revisão integrativa da literatura. A busca dos artigos primários foi realizada em outubro de 2017 na Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (via Pubmed), Web of Science e Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde. Resultados: os 16 estudos analisados mostraram que a exposição aos hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos esteve associada a doenças cardiovasculares como aumento da pressão arterial, variação da frequência cardíaca e doença cardíaca isquêmica; e respiratórias como diminuição da função pulmonar, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica, asma, chiado, tosse, sibilância pulmonar, opressão no peito, dispneia ao esforço e dor de garganta. Conclusões: os hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos causam efeito deletério no sistema cardiovascular e respiratório por meio de mutações e de inflamações celulares, sendo um risco ao indivíduo exposto.

PAHs in Water, Sediment and Biota in an Area with Port Activities.

The study reports concentration of 16 PAHs in sediment, water, plankton and in muscle and liver of sampled fishes from Paranagua Bay in Southern Brazil. According to the range of PAHs concentration found in sediments (ΣPAHs 15.33-133.61 µg g-1) and water (ΣPAHs 51.20-162.37 µg L-1), the area was characterized as slightly polluted. In contrast, significant concentration of PAHs was found in fish and plankton, ranging from 26.52 to 2055.00 µg g-1 and 175.41 to 2096.10 µg g-1, respectively. The concentrations were 15 times more than in sediments. Even though the concentration of PAHs in water and sediments are low, the concentration in fish tissues are alarmingly. The hypothesis of bioaccumulation is not discharged. Accumulation levels of PAHs in the biota were used to calculate biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) and bioaccumulation factor (BAF). For example, fish sampled from site 11 had a BAF of 49 and BSAF of 2.3, whereas for plankton the BAF was 16.3 and BSAF 0.7. Mean values of BAF and BSAF were higher in plankton samples. It is known that PAHs are enzymatically metabolized by organisms, thus the lower BSAF in fish might have resulted from biochemical transformation. Statistical analysis indicates no significant correlation between total PAHs concentration in fish tissues and total lipid content in fishes (p > 0.1).Accumulation in tissues is controlled by lipid content, although factors, such as spatial distribution of compounds, trophic level, and behavior of each species in the environment, must be considered. Besides, size and nutritional conditions can affect both absorption as well as metabolic process and excretion. A positive and significant correlation was found between total PAHs and trophic positions obtained from FishBase data (r2 = 0.784; p < 0.05). Thus, it seems that the area, with great influence of urban and industrial activities, and the bioaccumulation compounds, such as PAHs, depend on others factors, as well as resuspension of sediments and releasing of compounds for biota.

Applying no-depletion equilibrium sampling and full-depletion bioaccessibility extraction to 35 historically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminated soils.

Assessing the bioaccessibility of organic pollutants in contaminated soils is considered a complement to measurements of total concentrations in risk assessment and legislation. Consequently, methods for its quantification require validation with historically contaminated soils. In this study, 35 such soils were obtained from various locations in Switzerland and Cuba. They were exposed to different pollution sources (e.g., pyrogenic and petrogenic) at various distance (i.e., urban to rural) and were subject to different land use (e.g., urban gardening and forest). Passive equilibrium sampling with polyoxymethylene was used to determine freely dissolved concentrations (Cfree) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), while sorptive bioaccessibility extraction (SBE) with silicone rods was used to determine the bioaccessible PAH concentrations (Cbioacc) of these soils. The organic carbon partition coefficients of the soils were highest for skeet soils, followed by traffic, urban garden and rural soils. Lowest values were obtained from soil exposed to petrogenic sources. Applicability of SBE to quantify Cbioacc was restricted by silicone rod sorption capacity, as expressed quantitatively by the Sorption Capacity Ratio (SCR); particularly for soils with very high KD. The source of contamination determined bioaccessible fractions (fbioacc). The smallest fbioacc were obtained with skeet soils (15%), followed by the pyrogenically influenced soils, rural soils, and finally, the petrogenically contaminated soil (71%). In conclusion, we present the potential and limitations of the SBE method to quantify bioaccessibility in real soils. These results can be used for additional development of this and similar bioaccessibility methods to guarantee sufficient sorption capacity to obtain reliable results.

Mugil curema as a PAH bioavailability monitor for Atlantic west sub-tropical estuaries.

This work aimed to evaluate the use of Mugil curema as a biomonitor for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bioavailability. Fish biliary metabolites from low-contaminated (Cananéia) and contaminated (Santos) Brazilian estuaries were analysed using a high-performance liquid chromatography apparatus coupled to fluorescence detectors connected in a series. In the Cananéia and Santos estuaries, total metabolite levels ranged from 0.85 to 34.4µgg-1 of bile and from 4.06 to 528µgg-1 of bile, respectively. Metabolite levels were not influenced by feeding status or sexual hormones (p<0.05), thus suggesting that M. curema is a good biomonitor for PAH bioavailability. In estuarine regions, it is possible to sample both the male and female genders of this species in any reproductive period.

Ultraviolet Radiation Enhances the Toxicity of Deepwater Horizon Oil to Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) Embryos.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in the accidental release of millions barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Photoinduced toxicity following coexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one mechanism by which polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from oil spills may exert toxicity. Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), an important fishery resource, have positively buoyant, transparent eggs. These characteristics may result in mahi-mahi embryos being at particular risk from photoinduced toxicity. The goal of this study was to determine whether exposure to ultraviolet radiation as natural sunlight enhances the toxicity of crude oil to embryonic mahi-mahi. Mahi-mahi embryos were exposed to several dilutions of water accommodated fractions (WAF) from slick oil collected during the 2010 spill and gradations of natural sunlight in a fully factorial design. Here, we report that coexposure to natural sunlight and WAF significantly reduced percent hatch in mahi-mahi embryos. Effect concentrations of PAH in WAF were within the range of surface PAH concentrations reported in the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon spill. These data suggest that laboratory toxicity tests that do not include UV may underestimate the toxicity of oil spills to early lifestage fish species.

Marine sponges as bioindicators of oil and combustion derived PAH in coastal waters.

The present study evaluates the potential of Hymeniacidon heliophila as bioindicator of PAH contamination. For this, concentration of 33 PAH was determined in organisms from sites with different contamination level including the heavily polluted Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, and less impacted coastal areas. PAH concentration and typology were determined in sponges collected from different depths and in two different seasons. The brown mussel broadly studied as bioindicator was also sampled from the same sites for comparison. Both species provided similar information on total PAH concentration which is related to site contamination level. Sponges, however, revealed slight tendency to accumulation of combustion-derived PAH in relation to petrogenic compounds. Differences in PAH typology between species may derive from the interspecific variation in particle size ingestion. Different hydrocarbon typologies were observed in sponges from dry and wet season and PAH concentration varied with depth. H. heliophila may be used as an alternative approach to investigate the presence and sources of PAH in estuarine areas.

Biochemical biomarkers and hydrocarbons concentrations in the mangrove oyster Crassostrea brasiliana following exposure to diesel fuel water-accommodated fraction.

Understanding the toxic mechanisms by which organisms cope to environmental stressful conditions is a fundamental question for ecotoxicology. In this study, we evaluated biochemical responses and hydrocarbons bioaccumulation of the mangrove oyster Crassostrea brasiliana exposed for 96 h to four sublethal concentrations of diesel fuel water-accommodated fraction (WAF). For that purpose, enzymatic activities (SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, G6PDH, GST and GGT), HSP60 and HSP90 immunocontent and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were determined in the gill and digestive gland of oysters and related to the hydrocarbons accumulated in the whole soft tissues. The results of this study revealed clear biochemical responses to diesel fuel WAF exposure in both tissues of the oyster. The capacity of C. brasiliana to bioaccumulate aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in a dose-dependent manner is a strong indication of its suitability as a model in biomonitoring programs along the Brazilian coast, which was also validated by the response of the antioxidant defenses, phase II biotransformation and chaperones. HSP60 levels and GGT activity were the most promising biomarkers in the gill, while GST and GR activities stood out as suitable biomarkers for the detection of diesel toxicity in the digestive gland. The decrease of SOD activity and HSP90 levels may also reflect a negative effect of diesel exposure regardless the tissue. The present results provide a sound preliminary report on the biochemical responses of C. brasiliana challenged with a petroleum by-product and should be carefully considered for use in the monitoring of oil and gas activities in Brazil.

Morphological biomarkers in the Rhinocricus padbergi midgut exposed to contaminated soil.

Morphological studies have been performed in invertebrates to elucidate cellular and/or tissue damage caused by environmental contamination. In present work, the exposure to industrial soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals led to histological alterations in the midgut of Rhinocricus padbergi (Diplopoda). The following alterations were observed: increase of cytoplasmic granules in the fat body; increase in the number of regions of the epithelium in the process of renewal; increase in the number of hemocytes present among the cells of the fat body and degenerative changes in the midgut epithelium. Based on the results, we concluded that R. padbergi proved to be an excellent bioindicator for the evaluation of soil quality. The observed changes could be used as biomarkers for assessing sublethal effects of contaminated soils.

Biomarkers of PAHs exposure in crabs Ucides cordatus: laboratory assay and field study.

Pyrene metabolites in urine and micronucleus in haemocytes of crabs (Ucides cordatus) were tested as biomarkers of exposure to oil derived PAHs in mangrove sediments. The goal was to verify how well pyrene metabolites in urine represent levels of oil contamination in mangroves and whether the micronuclei assay indicates exposure. For this, bioassays were performed using crabs from clean and contaminated areas, and field studies were conducted in four mangroves. Results of the bioassay show that U. cordatus assimilates, metabolises, and excretes pyrene in urine as pyrene-1-glucoside, pyrene-sulphate and pyrene-conjugate. OH-pyrene-sulphate was the major metabolite produced/excreted over 120 h of observation by crabs from the clean mangrove. The production/excretion of pyrene-1-glucoside in this case increased linearly with time at a rate of 2.3 x 10(-10)mol L(-1)day(-1). The number of micronuclei in haemocytes also increased with the time after pyrene inoculation, indicating that exposure to pyrene triggers genotoxic and mutagenic response. In crabs from a heavily oil-contaminated mangrove pyrene-1-glucoside was the major metabolite, an indication that production/excretion of a certain metabolite varies depending on adaptation of the animal to the environment. A highly significant correlation was found between the concentration of pyrene metabolites in urine of field crabs expressed as OH-pyrene equivalents and the sum of 38 PAHs determined in hepatopancreas/sediments (r=0.825, n=23, p<0.05). The response of these crabs to the micronuclei assay was not significantly related to concentration of individual or total PAHs. Nevertheless, metabolite results prove U. cordatus as excellent bioindicator for evaluating environmental quality in mangrove areas as related to PAHs and oil contamination.

Expression and function of Oat1 and Oat3 in rat kidney exposed to mercuric chloride.

This study was designed to evaluate the expression and function of the organic anion transporters, Oat1 and Oat3, in rats exposed to a nephrotoxic dose of HgCl(2). Oat1 protein expression increased in renal homogenates and decreased in renal basolateral membranes from HgCl(2) rats, while Oat3 protein abundance decreased in both kidney homogenates and basolateral membranes. The lower protein levels of Oat1 and Oat3 in basolateral membranes explain the lower uptake capacity for p-aminohippurate (in vitro assays) and the diminution of the systemic clearance of this organic anion (in vivo studies) observed in treated rats. Since both transporters mediate mercury access to the renal cells, their down-regulation in basolateral membranes might be a defensive mechanism developed by the cell to protect itself against mercury injury. The pharmacological modulation of the expression and/or the function of Oat1 and Oat3 might be an effective therapeutic strategy for reducing the nephrotoxicity of mercury.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation by biosurfactant-producing Pseudomonas sp. IR1.

We characterized a newly isolated bacterium, designated as IR1, with respect to its ability to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and to produce biosurfactants. Isolated IR1 was identified as Pseudomonas putida by analysis of 16S rRNA sequences (99.6% homology). It was capable of utilizing two-, three- and four-ring PAHs but not hexadecane and octadecane as a sole carbon and energy source. PCR and DNA hybridization studies showed that enzymes involved in PAH metabolism were related to the naphthalene dioxygenase pathway. Observation of both tensio-active and emulsifying activities indicated that biosurfactants were produced by IR1 during growth on both water miscible and immiscible substrates. The biosurfactants lowered the surface tension of medium from 54.9 dN cm(-1) to 35.4 dN cm(-1) and formed a stable and compact emulsion with an emulsifying activity of 74% with diesel oil, when grown on dextrose. These findings indicate that this isolate may be useful for bioremediation of sites contaminated with aromatic hydrocarbons.

Higher urine 1-hydroxy pyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG) is associated with tobacco smoke exposure and drinking maté in healthy subjects from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The highest rates of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Brazil occur in Rio Grande do Sul, the most southern state, which has incidence rates of 20.4/100,000/year for men and 6.5/100,000/year for women. Exposure to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) through tobacco smoke and other sources may increase the risk of ESCC. The aims of the current study were to investigate the degree and sources of PAH exposure of the inhabitants of this region of southern Brazil. METHODS: Two hundred healthy adults (half smokers, half non smokers, half male and half female) were recruited, given a standardized questionnaire, and asked to provide a urine sample for measurement of 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG), a PAH metabolite). Urine 1-OHPG concentrations were measured using immunoaffinity chromatography and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy and urine cotinine was measured using a dipstick test. We examined factors associated with 1-OHPG concentration using Wilcoxon tests and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Urine 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG) was successfully measured on 199 subjects. The median (interquartile range) of urine 1-OHPG in the 199 participants was 2.09 pmol/mL (0.51, 5.84). Tobacco smoke exposure and maté drinking were statistically significantly associated with higher urine 1-OHPG concentrations in the multivariate linear regression model. CONCLUSION: Tobacco smoke and maté both contribute to high levels of benzo[a]pyrene exposure in the people of southern Brazil. This high PAH exposure may contribute to the high rates of ESCC observed in this population. The increased urine 1-OHPG concentrations associated with maté suggest that contaminants, not just thermal injury, may help explain the increased risk of ESCC previously reported for maté consumption.

Analysis of CYP4501A1, PAHs metabolites in bile, and genotoxic damage in Oncorhynchus mykiss exposed to Biobío River sediments, Central Chile.

The responses of cytochrome P4501A1 in the liver, the appearance of fluorescent metabolites in bile, and genotoxic damage in erythrocytes were studied in Oncorhynchus mykiss exposed under laboratory conditions to sediments taken from the Biobio River, central Chile. Samples were taken at four sampling sites in the Biobio River, following a pollution gradient from the discharge, where Stations 2 and 3 are impacted by a petrochemical industrial discharge effluent. Chemical analysis indicates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) presence in a range of 2000 to 7000 ng g(-1) dry weight in sediments from Stations 2 and 3, respectively. Both the CYP1A1 activity and the bile metabolites of O. mykiss exposed to the PAH-contaminated sediments present statistically significant differences with respect to the other stations. Additionally, the comet assay revealed notable genotoxic damage in trout erythrocytes from Stations 2 and 3, an effect that was not observed at the other stations.

Bioaccumulation and the effects of organochlorine pesticides, PAH and heavy metals in the Eel (Anguilla anguilla) at the Camargue Nature Reserve, France.

Pesticides (organochlorines-OC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals are toxic to fish and may be taken in through gills, skin and contaminated foods. Here we measure concentrations of OC, PAH and heavy metals, and their effects in the eel Anguilla anguilla from three locations in the Camargue Reserve in southern France. The Camargue Biosphere Reserve is the largest coastal wetland in Western Europe, and A. anguilla is a common predator at the top of the food chain. Livers and spleens were analyzed for histopathological, chemical and organo-somatic (HSI and SSI) effects. Gill, liver and spleen samples were collected for histopathological studies. Livers and muscles were sampled for metabolic parameters and persistent organic pollutant analysis. Total lipids were estimated by spectrophotometry and lipid-free residues were used in protein and glycogen analysis. OC pesticides were extracted from lipids of muscles and livers, analyzed by gas chromatography, and PAH from bile were analyzed by fixed wavelength fluorescence spectrofluorimetry. Heavy metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma with optical or with mass spectrometers. High concentrations of contaminants were found in eel tissues. La Capelière had the greatest OC and PAH concentrations; unexpected lesions in gills, livers and spleens were more common at the other sites. Liver and spleen tumors and lipidosis in livers were associated with chronic, and gill lesions with acute exposure. High pesticide and PAH concentrations and lesions in eels from the Camargue reserve demonstrate the contamination of the area. A more complete study in the Camargue reserve is necessary to better understand the impact on wildlife and humans. Also, this study suggests that eel biology must be better understood before continued use of this species as a biomonitor of polluted areas.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments and mussels of Corral Bay, south central Chile.

PAHs were measured in sediments and mussels (Mytilus chilensis) from Carboneros and Puerto Claro, located in Corral Bay, Valdivia. According to the ratio of phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/pyrene concentrations, these sites are medium polluted with PAHs originating mainly from pyrolytic sources. Fluoranthene was the major component measured in mussels (3.1-390 ng g(-1) dry weight) and sediments (6.9-74.1 ng g(-1) dry weight). In general, mussels were mainly exposed to the dissolved fraction of the lower molecular weight PAHs (tri- and tetra-aromatics) while the higher molecular ring systems (penta- and hexa-aromatics) were more bioavailable to sediments. Mussel PAHs content was relatively constant, with the exception of the 1999 summer season (March), when higher concentration values were found in both sites; however, PAHs residues in sediments showed a temporal variation.