Abstract

In the present report a literature study has been described about the possibilities of monitoring the exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to the general population by biochemical parameters in body fluids. The following PAH have been considered in this study: naphthalene, antracene, phenantrene, pyrene, fluorantene, benzo(a) antracene, chrysene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P), benzo(ghi)perylene and indenol[1,2,3-cd]pyrene. From the literature, five biochemical markers have been selected which are possibly suitable for monitoring of the general population (see Chapter 5). These biomarkers are: hydroxylated PAH in urine, B[a]P-protein adducts in blood, B[a]P-DNA adducts in white blood cells, B[a]P-guanine adducts in urine and oxidized nucleosides in urine. The basis of the chosen selection of parameters is formed by a number of criteria with analytical practicability as the most important one. Because PAH exposure to humans by inhalation is much more toxic than by oral exposure, a proposal has been made for the development of parameters which are able to distinguish between oral and inhalation exposure. Therefore the following parameters should be developed: 1. hydroxylated metabolites in urine as indicators for internal exposure for both oral (1-hydroxypyrene) and by inhalation (1-hydroxynaphthalene) and 2. B[a]P-guanine adducts in urine as a more effect-directed parameter