Insights into biomonitoring of human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with hair analysis: A case study in e-waste recycling area

Meiqing Lin; Jian Tang; Shengtao Ma; Yingxin Yu; Guiying Li; Ruifang Fan; Bixian Mai; Taicheng An

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.105432

Insights into biomonitoring of human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with hair analysis: A case study in e-waste recycling area

Environ Int. 2020 Mar:136:105432. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105432. Epub 2019 Dec 26.

Authors

Meiqing Lin¹, Jian Tang², Shengtao Ma³, Yingxin Yu², Guiying Li², Ruifang Fan⁴, Bixian Mai⁵, Taicheng An⁶

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 Guangdong, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
² Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
³ Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou 515100, China.
⁴ Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, 510631, China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 Guangdong, China.
⁶ Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: antc99@gdut.edu.cn.

PMID: 31884415
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105432

Abstract

In this study, 96 pairs of hair and urine samples were collected from e-waste (EW) dismantling workers of an industrial park, as well as residents living in surrounding areas. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hydroxylated PAH metabolites (OH-PAHs) were analyzed . The results show that concentrations of Σ₁₅PAHs ranged from 6.24 to 692 ng/g dry weight (dw) and Σ₁₂OH-PAHs from undetected to 187 ng/g dw in hair external (hair-Ex), and ranged from 31.7 to 738 ng/g dw and 21.6 to 1887 ng/g dw in hair internal (hair-In). There was no significant difference in exposure levels between EW dismantling workers and residents of the surrounding area. For the parent PAHs, the concentrations of Σ₁₅PAHs of hair-In were comparable with those of hair-Ex for all populations except for the child residents. On the contrary, for the OH-PAHs, the concentrations of Σ₁₂OH-PAHs of hair-In were 9-37 times higher than those of hair-Ex for populations. Moreover, the congener profiles of OH-PAHs of hair-In were different from those of hair-Ex, but similar to that of urine. Particularly, 3-OH-Bap, which is a carcinogenic metabolite, was only detected in the hair-In. These results indicate that OH-PAHs in hair-In, just like in urine, are mainly derived from endogenous metabolism and could be considered as reliable biomarkers for PAHs exposure. However, there was almost no significant correlations between hair-In and urine for OH-PAHs. This indicates that more attention should be paid to OH-PAHs when conducting PAHs exposure risk assessment using hair, which will help to obtain more reliable and comprehensive information on health risk assessments.

Keywords: E-waste exposure; Hair analysis; Human biomonitoring; Hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biological Monitoring*
Child
Electronic Waste*
Environmental Monitoring
Hair
Humans
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons* / analysis
Recycling

Substances

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons