Associations between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and temporal change of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in Taiwanese coke-oven workers.

Abstract

Our aim is to analyze the association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and the temporal change of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP). Two personal air samples, eight spot urine samples, and questionnaires were used to collect PAH exposure, urinary 1-OHP, demographic data, and environmental pollutants. Topside-oven workers had significantly higher levels of PAH exposure and 1-OHP than side-oven workers. Urinary 1-OHP was a biomarker for PAH exposure. In topside-oven workers, the trend of 1-OHP increased sharply and reached the top in the sixth day after work and declined dramatically on days off. In side-oven workers, such a trend was not found, and those who smoked showed a slight increase in urinary 1-OHP levels on days off. We suggest that the pattern of temporal change of urinary 1-OHP levels is different between topside-oven and side-oven workers.