Biomarkers of PAH exposure and hematologic effects in subjects exposed to combustion emission during residential (and professional) cooking practices in Pakistan

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 1284 - 1299
• Main Authors: Kamal, Atif, Cincinelli, Alessandra, Martellini, Tania, Malik, Riffat Naseem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.01.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine; Adult; Aged; Air pollution; Aquatic Pollution; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Cell Count; blood serum; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; coal; Coal - analysis; Combustion; Cooking; Cooking - instrumentation; Cooking - manpower; DNA Damage; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Emissions; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Erythrocytes; Female; Females; fuelwood; headache; Hemoglobin; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Households; Humans; Indoor air quality; Inhalation Exposure - analysis; Land pollution; Leukocytes; Male; males; Middle Aged; Occupational exposure; Occupational Exposure - analysis; Outdoor air quality; Oxidative stress; Pakistan; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; questionnaires; Remediation; Research Article; Suburban areas; Superoxide dismutase; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; women; Wood - chemistry; Pakistan; Italy; Pakistan; 1-Hydroxypyrene; Hydroxypyrene; Combustion emission; Hemoglobin; SOD; Traditional cook stove; Indoor air pollution; 8-OHdG
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5297-6

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the exposure of household women and professional male workers to combustion emission in the indoor and semi-outdoor environments, respectively, by using biochemical parameters and the biomarkers of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Female (WR n = 60) and male “cooks” (WC n = 60) exposed to the combustion emission of fuel wood and coal in rural/suburban areas of Pakistan were recruited in this study and compared to non-exposed female (CF) and male (CM) groups (n = 32 and 34, respectively). Urinary biomarkers of PAH exposure including 1-hyroxypyrene (1-OHPyr), α-naphthol, and β-naphthol were analyzed together with the biomarkers of effect, including the serum c-reactive proteins (CRP), white blood cells (WBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC), and platelet (PLT) count. In addition, blood superoxide dismutase (SOD) and urinary level of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were evaluated to determine the oxidative stress and DNA damage, respectively. A questionnaire was used to document demographic-, health-, and exposure-related information. The results showed that urinary β-naphthol was almost 44 % higher in WR subjects than WC (median 7.69 vs. 3.39 μmol/mol-Cr, respectively; p = 0.01) and respective controls (CF). Higher urinary 8-OHdG were observed in WR (71.1 ng/mg-Cr) than WC (56.37 ng/mg-Cr) (p < 0.001), and lower life status and higher degree of headache were observed in WR than WC. In WCs, however, a low Hb and high WBC (8.29 × 10³ μL⁻¹, ranging between 6.1 and 10.6 × 10³ μL⁻¹) were observed in comparison with CM. The study shows that WC subjects used larger amount of fuel and were subjected to prolonged exposure. It was concluded that the role of ventilation is fundamental and WR were more exposed to PAHs despite the fact that WC spent more time in cooking (due to occupational requirement) than WR.