The Use of Human Biomonitoring to Assess Occupational Exposure to PAHs in Europe: A Comprehensive Review

Louro H, Gomes BC, Saber AT, Iamiceli AL, Göen T, Jones K, Katsonouri A, Neophytou CM, Vogel U, Ventura C, Oberemm A, Duca RC, Fernandez MF, Olea N, Santonen T, Viegas S, Silva MJ (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Toxics MDPI

Book Volume: 10

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.3390/toxics10080480

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the chemicals with proven impact on workers' health. The use of human biomonitoring (HBM) to assess occupational exposure to PAHs has become more common in recent years, but the data generated need an overall view to make them more usable by regulators and policymakers. This comprehensive review, developed under the Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) Initiative, was based on the literature available from 2008-2022, aiming to present and discuss the information on occupational exposure to PAHs, in order to identify the strengths and limitations of exposure and effect biomarkers and the knowledge needs for regulation in the workplace. The most frequently used exposure biomarker is urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-PYR), a metabolite of pyrene. As effect biomarkers, those based on the measurement of oxidative stress (urinary 8-oxo-dG adducts) and genotoxicity (blood DNA strand-breaks) are the most common. Overall, a need to advance new harmonized approaches both in data and sample collection and in the use of appropriate biomarkers in occupational studies to obtain reliable and comparable data on PAH exposure in different industrial sectors, was noted. Moreover, the use of effect biomarkers can assist to identify work environments or activities of high risk, thus enabling preventive risk mitigation and management measures.

Authors with CRIS profile

Thomas Göen Lehrstuhl für Arbeits-, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin

Involved external institutions

Ministry of Health, State of Israel IL Israel (IL) Universidad de Granada ES Spain (ES) Det Nationale Forskningscenter for Arbejdsmiljø DK Denmark (DK) Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) DE Germany (DE) Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS) LU Luxembourg (LU) Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) / Työterveyslaitos (TTL) FI Finland (FI) Italian National Health Institute / Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) IT Italy (IT) Health & Safety Laboratory GB United Kingdom (GB) New University of Lisbon / Universidade Nova de Lisboa PT Portugal (PT) National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA) PT Portugal (PT)

How to cite

APA:

Louro, H., Gomes, B.C., Saber, A.T., Iamiceli, A.L., Göen, T., Jones, K.,... Silva, M.J. (2022). The Use of Human Biomonitoring to Assess Occupational Exposure to PAHs in Europe: A Comprehensive Review. Toxics, 10(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics10080480

MLA:

Louro, Henriqueta, et al. "The Use of Human Biomonitoring to Assess Occupational Exposure to PAHs in Europe: A Comprehensive Review." Toxics 10.8 (2022).

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