Assessment of Hair Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Impact on Respiratory Health and Functional Exercise Capacity in Adolescent Females: A Study in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants originating from various combustion processes. While PAH exposure has been associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes, including impaired lung function, this cross-sectional study examines the associations between hair PAH concentrations, lung function, and functional exercise capacity among 352 female school students in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Hair samples were analyzed for 15 PAHs, and lung function was assessed using spirometry while functional exercise capacity was evaluated using the six-minute walk test (6MWT). Nine PAHs were quantitatively detected in hair samples, with significant inverse correlations observed between PAH levels in hair and various lung function parameters, including the percentage of predicted values for forced vital capacity (% pred FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (% pred FEV1), peak expiratory flow (% pred PEF), FEV1/FVC ratio (% pred FEV1/FVC), mean forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (% pred FEF25−75), and FEF25–75/FVC ratio (% pred FEF25−75/FVC). Elevated PAH concentrations were also associated with reduced six-minute walk distance (6MWD). Our study provides compelling evidence of the adverse effects of PAH exposure on respiratory health and functional exercise capacity in adolescent females.