HEMOGLOBIN ADDUCTS OF BENZO[A]PYRENE DIOLEPOXIDE IN NEWSPAPER VENDORS- ASSOCIATION WITH TRAFFIC EXHAUST

Benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide adducts with hemoglobin (Hb) were measured to detect human exposure to environmental benzo[a]pyrene from traffic exhaust, Benzo[a]pyrene tetrahydrotetrols (BPTs) released from uh aft er acid hydrolysis were quantitated by gas chromatography-mass spectro metry after immunoaffinity chromatography, Fifty three newspaper vendo rs were enrolled, The median adduct concentration was 0.3 fmol BPTs/mg Hb in high density traffic-exposed vendors and less than or equal to 0.1 fmol BPTs/mg Hb in those exposed to low density traffic; the diffe rence was not significant (P=0.09). Among non-smokers, adducts were de tectable in 60% of high exposure subjects (median 0.3 fmol BPTs/mg Hb) and in 28% of those with low exposure (median less than or equal to 0 .1 fmol/mg Hb). This difference was significant (P=0.02). In low expos ure smokers the median of adducts was 0.26 fmol BPTs/mg Hb, while in l ow exposure non-smokers it was less than or equal to 0.1 fmol BPTs/mg Hb (P=0.08, not significant). Adduct concentration was no different fo r low and high density traffic-exposed smokers (P=0.82). The data indi cate a significant difference in adduct concentration related to traff ic exhaust exposure among non-smokers.