[Urinary 1-OHP excretion of urban traffic exhausts exposed workers]

The vehicles exhaust in the traffic represents an important contributing factor for common air pollutants inhalation. The aim of this study was to investigate, the possible correlation between occupational exposition to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) generated from incomplete combustion, by dosage of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP u) as biomarker of internal dose for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In the study were included 29 workers exposed to urban traffic exhausts and of 18 non exposed workers. In boths populations was considered the tobacco smoke exposition. The results showed that exposed had levels of 1-OHP u in end-of-shift samples generally higher than those in pre-shift samples and showed an association to tobacco smoke exposition. In the control population tobacco smoke exposition appeared associated to the highest levels of 1-OHP u. The study suggests that the occupational exposure to traffic exhausts is associated with increased urinary excretion of 1-OHP. In addition, by our results seems to be a correlation between high levels of 1-OHP in the urine and increased risk of PAHs inhalation.