Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of persistent pollutants that are widely distributed in the environment. Due to their stable structure and poor degradability, PAHs exhibit carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic toxicity to the ecological environment and organisms, thus increasing attentions have been paid to their removals and remediation. Green, safe and economical technologies are widely used in the bioremediation of PAHs-contaminated soil. This article summarizes the present status of PAHs pollution in soil of China from the aspects of origin, migration, fate, and pollution level. Meanwhile, the types of microorganisms and plants capable of degrading PAHs, as well as the underlying mechanisms, are summarized. The features of three major bioremediation technologies, i.e., microbial remediation, phytoremediation, and joint remediation, are compared. Analysis of the interaction mechanisms between plants and microorganisms, selection and cultivation of stress-resistant strains and plants, as well as safety and efficacy evaluation of practical applications, are expected to become future directions in this field.
Biodegradation, Environmental ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/toxicity* ; Soil ; Soil Microbiology ; Soil Pollutants

Humans ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Micronucleus Tests ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; toxicity ; Population Surveillance ; methods

OBJECTIVETo predict the carcinogenicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by cell transformation assay using BALB/c 3T3 cells and HPV16-E6E7-transfected BALB/c 3T3 cells (BALB/c-E6E7 cells).

METHODSThe cell transformation assays induced by PAHs using BALB-E6E7 cells and BALB/c 3T3 cells.

RESULTSThe initiating and promoting activities of PAHs examined in a BALB-E6E7 cell transformation assay were similar to in a BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation assay, which was up to the standard of agents classified by the IARC. There were much more transformed foci appeared and much shorter time consumed to accomplish phenotypic alterations in the BALB/c-E6E7 cell transformation assay than in the BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation assay. The BALB/c-E6E7 cell transformation assay was superior to the BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation assay in cost and labor performance, the sensitivity of transformation response.

CONCLUSIONThe BALB/c-E6E7 cell transformation assay, with a satisfied prediction performance of initiating activity and promoting activity, would improve the overall process of safety and risk assessment of carcinogenicity.

Animals ; BALB 3T3 Cells ; Carcinogenicity Tests ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; toxicity

OBJECTIVES: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and toluene have been reported to induce reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress. This study was performed to investigate the effects of low level exposure to PAHs or toluene on the lipid peroxidation level in elementary school children and the elderly in a rural area. METHODS: Forty seven elementary school children and 40 elderly people who were living in a rural area and not occupationally exposed to PAH or toluene were the subjects of this study. Information about active or passive smoking and diet was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. The urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), 2-naphthol, hippuric acid and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) concentrations were measured, and these values were corrected with the urinary creatinine concentration. RESULTS: In school children, the geometric means of the urinary 1-OHP, 2-naphthol, hippuric acid and TBARS levels were 0.02 ymol/mol creatinine, 0.47 micron mol/mol creatinine, 0.14 g/g creatinine and 0.95 micron mol/g creatinine, respectively. Those values for the elderly were 0.07 micron mol/mol creatinine, 1.87 micron mol/mol creatinine, 0.11 g/g creatinine and 1.18 micron mol/g creatinine, respectively. The mean levels of urinary 1-OHP, 2-naphthol and TBARS were significantly higher in the elderly subjects than in the children. The urinary TBARS level was not correlated with the urinary 1-OHP, 2-naphthol and hippuric acid, but they were correlated with the age of the subjects. CONCLSIONS: These results suggest that low level inhalation exposure to PAH or toluene does not markedly increase lipid peroxidation, and age is a significant determinant of lipid peroxidation.
Child ; Environmental Exposure/*adverse effects ; Environmental Pollutants/*toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic/*toxicity ; *Rural Population ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances/*analysis ; Toluene/*toxicity ; Urinalysis

To establish a genetic susceptibility assessment model of lung cancer risk potentially associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) inhalation exposure among non-smokers in China, a total of 143 patients with lung adenocarcinoma and 143 cancer-free individuals were recruited. Sixty-eight genetic polymorphisms in 10 pathways related to PAH metabolism and tumorigenesis were selected and examined. It was observed that 3 genetic polymorphisms, along with 10 additional genetic polymorphisms via gene-gene interactions, significantly influenced lung cancer risk potentially associated with PAH inhalation exposure. Most polymorphisms were associated with PAH metabolism. According to the established genetic susceptibility score (GSS), lung cancer risk increased with a rise in the GSS level, thereby indicating a positive dose-response relationship.
Adenocarcinoma ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; China ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; Lung Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the polymorphisms of metabolic genes and telomere length of genomic DNA in peripheral blood of workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

METHODSOne hundred and forty five coke-oven workers exposed to PAHs and sixty eight non-exposed medical staffs were recruited in this study. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) served as the internal exposure dose of PAHs for all subjects. Relative telomere length (RTL) of genomic DNA in peripheral blood was used as telomere length and measured by real-time PCR. Polymorphisms of metabolic genes were detected by PCR-based methods.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the exposure group shown a decreased RTL (1.10 +/- 0.75 vs 1.43 +/- 1.06, P < 0.05). In the coke-oven workers, after adjusting the sex, age, cigarettes per day and urinary 1-OHP, RTL (1.25 +/- 0.93) of workers with CT genotype at the CYP1A1 3801 T > C was significantly longer than that (0.93 +/- 0.51) of workers with TT genotype (P < 0.05). RTL (0.90 +/- 0.58) of individuals with the Tyr/His genotype at mEH Tyr113His was significantly shorter than that (1.24 +/- 0.90) of individuals with the Tyr/Tyr genotype (P < 0.05). RTL (1.02 +/- 0.64) of individuals with the CT genotype at AHR rs10250822 was significantly shorter than that (1.36 +/- 1.14) of individuals with the CC genotype (P < 0.05). RTL (0.93 +/- 0.54) of individuals with the AT genotype at AHR rs10247158 was significantly shorter than that (1.19 +/- 0.84) of individuals with the AA genotype (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results of present study suggested that PAHs exposure could induce the shorted RTL, CYP1A1, mEH, AHR polymorphisms might influence the change of telomere length of genomic DNA in peripheral blood of workers exposed to PAHs.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; genetics ; DNA ; genetics ; DNA Damage ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; toxicity ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Telomere ; genetics ; Young Adult

In this study, we investigated the effects of PAHs and dioxin on mRNA and plasma protein expression using genomic and proteomic analysis for automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers. About 54 workers from automobile emission inspection offices, 31 workers from waste incinerating company and 84 unexposed healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Urine and air samples were collected and analyzed by HPLC and GC/MS. Comet assays were carried out to evaluate any DNA damage in mononuclear and polynuclear cells. A significant difference in Olive tail moments in mononuclear cells was observed between exposed and control subjects (P <0.0001). To examine the differences of the gene expression profile in automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers, radioactive complementary DNA microarrays were used to evaluate changes in the expression of 1,152 total genes. The gene expression profiles showed that 11 genes were up-regulated and 4 genes were down-regulated in waste incinerating workers as compared with controls. Plasma proteins were analyzed by 2-dimentional electrophoresis with pH 3-10 NL IPG Dry strip. The protein expression profiles showed that 8 proteins were up- regulated and 1 protein, haptoglobin, was down- regulated in automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers. Serum paraoxonase/ arylesterase was found only in the plasma of waste incineration workers. The expression of genes and proteins involved in oxidative stress were up-regulated in both automobile emission inspectors and waste incineration workers. Several proteins, such as transthyrethin, sarcolectin and haptoglobin, that were highly up- or down-regulated, could serve as biological monitoring markers for future study.
Adult ; Aged ; Biological Markers/analysis ; DNA Fragmentation ; Environmental Monitoring/*methods ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genetic Markers ; Genomics ; Humans ; *Incineration ; Middle Aged ; Naphthols/urine ; Occupational Exposure/analysis ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic/analysis/*toxicity ; Proteomics ; Pyrenes/analysis ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin/analysis/*toxicity ; *Vehicle Emissions