Gestational exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Northeastern British Columbia, Canada: A pilot study
Gestational exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Northeastern British Columbia, Canada: A pilot study
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DOI：
10.1016/j.envint.2017.10.022
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发表时间：
2018-01-01
影响因子：
11.8
通讯作者：
Verner, Marc-Andre
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Caron-Beaudoin, Elyse;Valter, Naomi;Verner, Marc-Andre
背景：加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省东北部是非常规天然气开采的水力压裂密集区。有多份报告称，气井附近的空气和水受到挥发性有机化合物的污染。虽然这些化学物质是已知的发育毒物，但该地区尚未开展过生物监测工作。目的：评估加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省东北部和平河谷孕妇对苯和甲苯的暴露。方法：连续5天采集29名孕妇的尿样。在每个参与者的混合尿样中检测了苯(S-苯硫代尿酸和反式，反式-肉豆蔻酸)和甲苯(S-苯基硫代尿酸)的代谢物。苯代谢物的水平与加拿大普通人群的水平以及对美国怀俄明州Pavillion活跃天然气开采地区居民的生物监测研究进行了比较。结果：虽然我们研究中S-PMA水平的中位数(0.18ug/g肌酐)与普通加拿大人相似，但t，t-MA的中位数(180mg/g肌酐)大约是加拿大人的3.5倍。5名妇女的t，t-MA水平高于美国政府工业卫生师会议提出的生物暴露指数(R)。在我们的初步研究中，尿S-BMA水平的中位数为7.00微克/克肌酐。在自我认同的土著妇女中，尿代谢物水平略高，但这种差异仅对S-PMA有统计学意义。讨论：在我们的研究中测量的尿t，t-MA水平，而不是S-PMA水平，提示来自和平河谷的参与孕妇的苯暴露水平高于普通加拿大人。考虑到样本量小和t，t-MA测量的局限性(例如，非特异性)，有必要进行更广泛的监测。
Background: Northeastern British Columbia (Canada) is an area of intense hydraulic fracturing for unconventional natural gas exploitation. There have been multiple reports of air and water contamination by volatile organic compounds in the vicinity of gas wells. Although these chemicals are known developmental toxicants, no biomonitoring effort has been carried out in the region.Objective: To evaluate gestational exposure to benzene and toluene in the Peace River Valley, Northeastern British Columbia (Canada).Methods: Urine samples were collected over five consecutive days from 29 pregnant women. Metabolites of benzene (s-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) and trans, trans-muconic acid (t, t-MA)) and toluene (s-benzylmercapturic acid (S-BMA)) were measured in pooled urine samples from each participant. Levels of benzene metabolites were compared to those from the general Canadian population and from a biomonitoring study of residents from an area of active gas exploitation in Pavillion, Wyoming (USA). Levels measured in participants from the two recruitment sites, and self-identifying as Indigenous or non-Indigenous, were also compared.Results: Whereas the median S-PMA level (0.18 mu g/g creatinine) in our study was similar to that in the general Canadian population, the median t, t-MA level (180 mu g/g creatinine) was approximately 3.5 times higher. Five women had t, t-MA levels above the biological exposure index (R) proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. The median urinary S-BMA level in our pilot study was 7.00 mu g/g creatinine. Urinary metabolite levels were slightly higher in self-identifying Indigenous women, but this difference was only statistically significant for S-PMA.Discussion: Urinary t, t-MA levels, but not S-PMA levels, measured in our study are suggestive of a higher benzene exposure in participating pregnant women from the Peace River Valley than in the general Canadian population. Given the small sample size and limitations of t, t-MA measurements (e.g., non-specificity), more extensive monitoring is warranted.