ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE TO POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN CZECH-REPUBLIC

1 Objectives of this study were (1) to compare concentrations of indiv idual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in air of polluted and no npolluted area of Czech Republic during winter and summer periods and (2) to verify if urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), as supposed practica l biological marker, permits the assessment of spacial and temporal va riations in environmental PAH exposure. 2 The study population consist ed of three groups: (1) a group of 22 physical exercise students who r egularly train outside, from the university situated in a polluted tow n, spending 14 days in winter and 14 days in summer in 'non-polluted' mountains; (2) a control group of 22 residents from the town and (3) a control group of 18 residents from the mountains. 3 The total PAH con centrations (sum of 13 individual PAH) were 19.3 and 104.6 ng/m(3) in town and in mountains, respectively, during summer and 86.6 and 261 ng /m(3) during winter. 4 Median 1-OHP levels ranged between 0.03 and 0.1 3 mu mol/mol creatinine for controls and between 0.04 and 0.12 mu mol/ mol creatinine for students. No relationship was found between pyrene levels in air and group means of urinary 1-OHP. Our results show that other factors (probably PAH in food) contribute in masking air polluti on influence on urinary 1-OHP levels in subjects non-occupationally ex posed to PAH.