Urinary levels of 1-hydroxypyrene and health risk assessment in children living in Mexican communities with a high risk of contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Health complications have been associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure, a widespread environmental pollutants family. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to develop a probabilistic health risk evaluation (using Monte-Carlo simulation) in an infantile population living in areas with a high risk of pollution by PAHs (indoor wood combustion, brick kiln industry, municipal landfill, and low and high vehicular traffic) in Mexico. Urine samples were obtained from Mexican children (n = 135) and urinary 1-OHP concentrations (used as a PAHs biomarker) were quantified. Highest urinary 1-OHP concentrations were detected in children living in areas that use wood combustion as the principal indoor fuel (3.50 ± 0.95 µg/L). Nevertheless, estimated hazard quotients (HQ) lower than 1 were found in all assessed sites after Monte-Carlo analysis. Although HQ <1.0 (a toxic effect is not expected), more data are necessary to determine the real impact of PAHs exposure on children health status.