Developing a profile of urinary PAH metabolites among Chinese populations in the 2010s

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose significant health risks. However, no nationwide cohort has been estab-lished to consistently record biomonitoring data on PAH exposure in the Chinese population. Biomonitoring data from 56 published studies were combined in this study to develop a profile of urinary PAH metabolites among Chinese pop-ulation in the 2010s. The stacked column charts described the composition profiles of hydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs) in general, special, and occupational populations. Hydroxynaphthalene (OH-Nap) and hydroxyfluorene (OH-Flu) accounted for more than half of the urinary OH-PAH in general and special populations. The urine of the occupational populations contained a significant amount of hydroxyphenanthrene (OH-Phe) and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPyr). Fur-thermore, this study analyzed the distribution profiles of non-occupationally exposed populations, such as spatial distri-bution, age distribution, and trends over time. The population of the Southern region had higher urinary OH-PAH concentrations than the population of the Northern region. Adults (45-55 years old) had the highest level of internal PAH exposure. Between 2010 and 2018, the overall trend of urinary OH-PAHs in Chinese general populations de-creased. The cumulative distribution function (CDF) revealed that 1-OHNap and 1-OHPyr were better at distinguishing internal PAH exposure among different populations. The sum of OH-Flu and OH-Phe in urine can be used to assess the impact of indoor and outdoor environments on human exposure to PAHs. Our findings suggest that more emphasis should be placed on collecting biomonitoring data for adults of all ages (particularly in the Northern region) and vulner-able populations. In conclusion, this study advocates for the establishment of a nationwide cohort study of Chinese pop-ulations as soon as possible in the future to evaluate the Chinese population's exposure to environmental contaminants.

Automated summary

This study combines data from 56 published studies to develop a profile of urinary metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among the Chinese population in the 2010s. The study finds that the Chinese population is generally exposed to PAHs, with higher exposure levels in the Southern region compared to the Northern region. Adults (45-55 years old) have the highest level of internal PAH exposure. Overall, there is a decreasing trend in the levels of urinary PAH metabolites among the Chinese general population between 2010 and 2018.