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Seasonal and Regional Contributors of 1-Hydroxypyrene among Children near a Steel Mill

Departments of ¹ Environmental Health and ² Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Requests for reprints: Domyung Paek, Department of Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, 28 Yeongeon-Dong, Jongno-Gu, Seoul 110-460, Republic of Korea. Phone: 82-2-740-8886; Fax: 82-2-743-8240. E-mail: paekdm{at}snu.ac.kr

Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) is a biomarker of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Effect of residence on children's PAH exposure was reported among children living near a polluted area. Instead of a snapshot assessment, however, a temporal history of exposure characteristics needs to be assessed in the studies of chronic disease development such as cancer. The urinary 1-OHP measurements were repeated to determine regional effect of ambient air pollution on 1-OHP levels over extended periods. Two sites were chosen: (a) one site located near the steel mill ("nearby" site) and (b) the other site located at a longer distance from the mill ("remote" site). Spot urinary 1-OHP levels were measured from 72 children for 3 consecutive days per month, repeated over 9-month period. Compared with remote site, the nearby site had increased the urinary 1-OHP level by 62.3% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 39.8-88.3%]. Other statistically significant factors that contributed to the level include sex [16.5% (95% CI, 1.2-34.1%) higher for girls than boys], consumption of charbroiled meat [16.5% (95% CI, 1.1-34.2%) higher], and an increase in PM₁₀ [10.1% (95% CI, 4.8-15.7%) higher for the interquartile range increment]. Controlling for covariates, the 1-OHP levels were increased in the summer and fall compared with winter. The magnitude of the effects of both seasons had diminished after adjusting for PM₁₀. This is the first report providing seasonal and regional contributors to environmental PAH exposure, assessed by urinary 1-OHP, with higher 1-OHP levels during summer when ambient pollution was also high. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(1):96–101)