Reference range levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the US population by measurement of urinary monohydroxy metabolites

Environ Res. 2006 Mar;100(3):394-423. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2005.06.004. Epub 2005 Oct 12.

Abstract

We developed a gas chromatography isotope-dilution high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/ID-HRMS) method for measuring 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites representing seven parent PAHs in 3 mL of urine at low parts-per-trillion levels. PAH levels were determined in urine samples collected in 1999 and 2000 from approximately 2400 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and, for the first time, reference range values were calculated for these metabolites in the US population. Using this GC/ID-HRMS method, we found detectable concentrations for monohydroxy metabolite isomers of fluorene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and chrysene, benzo[c]phenanthrene, and benz[a]anthracene. Some monohydroxy metabolite isomers of benzo[c]phenanthrene, chrysene, and benz[a]anthracene exhibited low detection frequencies that did not allow for geometric mean calculations. Our study results enabled us to establish a reference range for the targeted PAHs in the general US population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Black People
  • Black or African American
  • Child
  • Environmental Monitoring*
  • Environmental Pollutants / metabolism*
  • Environmental Pollutants / urine*
  • Female
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / metabolism*
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / urine*
  • Reference Values
  • United States
  • White People

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons