Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that adversely affect human health, mainly through their carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Monitoring the exposure to PAHs of the inhabitants of air polluted regions is important because of the impact of these pollutants on human health. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to PAHs of municipal police officers (non-smokers) living in three localities in the Czech Republic (strategically selected according to the level of air pollution) and determine how air pollution impacts personal exposure to PAHs via inhalation. Twenty PAHs were determined in the inhaled air collected from personal air samplers. Simultaneously, the total exposure to PAHs was investigated by evaluating the concentrations of 11 monohydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) in urine samples. Despite the observed differences in the concentrations of PAHs in the air from the personal samplers between the three locations, no statistically significant differences were found in the concentrations of OH-PAHs in the urine samples. Outcomes of this study indicate that inhalation exposure is not the primary source of PAHs exposure for Czech municipal police officers, but that diet may also be an important contributor to total body burden. The levels of OH-PAHs found in urine of Czech municipal police officers were very similar to those found in the urine of the Czech mothers from our previous study. This study provided the data about the body burden of potentially occupationally exposed group that has not yet been studied in the Czech Republic.

• Klíčová slova
• Air pollution, Biomonitoring, Czech Republic, GC–MS/MS, PAHs, Personal air samplers, UHPLC − MS/MS, Urine analysis,
• MeSH
• biologické markery moč   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• inhalační expozice * analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * moč   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• policie * MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * moč   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biologické markery MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * MeSH

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It has long been known that airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can negatively affect pregnancy and birth outcomes, such as birth weight, fetal development, and placental growth factors. However, similar studies yield divergent results. Our goal was to estimate the amount of monohydroxylated PAH (OH-PAH) metabolites in the urine of pregnant women/mothers and their newborns in relation to birth outcomes, such as placenta weight, Apgar 5', and the growth parameters of children up to the age of two. METHODS: Two cohorts of children born in 2013 and 2014 during the summer and winter seasons in the Czech Republic in the cities Karviná (N = 144) and České Budějovice (N = 198), which differ significantly in the level of air pollution, were studied. PAH exposure was assessed by the concentration of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in the air and the concentration of 11 OH-PAH metabolites in the urine of newborns and mothers. Growth parameters and birth outcomes were obtained from medical questionnaires after birth and from pediatric questionnaires during the following 24 months of the child's life. RESULTS: Concentrations of B[a]P were significantly higher in Karviná (p < 0.001). OH-PAH metabolites were significantly higher in the mothers' as well as in the newborns' urine in Karviná and during the winter season. Neonatal length was shorter in newborns in Karviná (p < 0.001), but this difference evened out during the next 3 to 24 months. Compared to České Budějovice, newborns in Karviná showed significantly lower weight gain between birth and three months after delivery. The OH-PAH metabolites in mothers' or newborns' urine did not affect birth weight. The presence of seven OH-PAH (top 25% of values of concentrations higher than the median) metabolites in the newborns' urine is associated with decreased length of newborn. Nine OH-PAH metabolites decreased placenta weight, which was the most significant, while seven OH-PAH metabolites decreased Apgar 5'. CONCLUSION: We have shown a possible connection between higher concentration of OH-PAH metabolites in newborns' urine and decreased length, head circumference, placenta weight, and Apgar 5', but not birth weight.

• Klíčová slova
• Birth length, Birth weight, Growth parameters, Head circumference, Monohydroxylated PAH metabolites, Placenta weight, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,
• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• matky MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• placenta MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * MeSH
• porodní hmotnost MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• zpožděný efekt prenatální expozice * epidemiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * MeSH

Thirty years ago, Northern Bohemia in the Czech Republic was one of the most air polluted areas in Europe. After political changes, the Czech government put forward a research program to determine if air pollution is really affecting human health. This program, later called the "Teplice Program", was initiated in collaboration with scientists from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). This cooperation made possible the use of methods on the contemporary level. The very high concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in the air showed, for the first time, the impact of air pollutants on the health of the population in mining districts: adverse pregnancy outcomes, the impact of air pollution on sperm morphology, learning disabilities in children, and respiratory morbidity in preschool children. A surprising result came from the distribution of the sources of pollution: 70% of PM10 pollution came from local heating and not from power plants as expected. Thanks to this result, the Czech government supported changes in local heating from brown coal to natural gas. This change substantially decreased SO2 and PM10 pollution and affected mortality, especially cardiovascular mortality.

• Klíčová slova
• DNA adducts, PAHs, PM2.5, SO2, air pollution, mortality, neurobehavioral changes, pregnancy outcome, sperm abnormalities,
• MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• zdraví MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Evropa MeSH
• Názvy látek
• látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• pevné částice MeSH