A pilot study of 1-hydroxypyrene in the urine of pigs and cows

In 1990, the Government of the Czech Republic included the area surrounding the town of Hodonin among the 17 regions with the highest environmental po llution rates. Urine samples for the determination of l-hydroxypyrene as a metabolite of pyrene were collected from fatteners and sows at three swine farms and from dairy cows at two farms in the district of Hodonin in May 19 99. In human medicine, the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene is regarded as a biomark er of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The set under study inc luded 20 samples collected from fatteners (females and castrated males aged from 200 to 220 days), 10 samples collected from breeding sows (age from 2 to 3 years), and 19 samples collected from dairy cows (age from 3 to 4 yea rs). All the samplings were done between 6.00 and 7.00 a.m. Mean concentrat ions of the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene for the two cattle farms were 12.07 and 24.51 mu g/l, respectively, and for the three swine farms 0.23, 0.44, and 0.06 mu g/l. The mean concentration was higher (p < 0.05) in sows than in f atteners (0.54 vs. 0.11 mu g/l). No significant difference in the concentra tion of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene was found between females and castrated mal es (0.08 vs. 0.14 mu g/1) Further research will be focused on the assessmen t of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations as a biomarker of exposure of p igs and cows to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.