Urinary levels of oxidative DNA and RNA damage among workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in silicon production: Comparison with 1-hydroxypyrene

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are ubiquitous occupational and environmental pollutants and the urinary excretion of 1‐hydroxypyrene (1‐OHP) is classically measured for the determination of PAH exposure internal dose. Some of PAH are tumorigenic due to their metabolites ability to generate DNA adducts and oxidative DNA damage through the production of reactive oxygen species during metabolism. 8‐hydroxy‐7,8‐dihydro‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdGuo) is one of the major oxidative DNA lesions and its use as a potential biomarker of genotoxic PAH occupational exposure should be evaluated. Indeed conflicting results are frequently reported in occupational studies in terms of correlation between 8‐OHdGuo urinary levels and PAH exposure. The aim of our study was therefore to determine the potential for PAH occupational exposure to increase urinary oxidative DNA damage. The population consisted of 68 male workers employed in silicon production. The urinary concentrations of 8‐OHdGuo and its homologue in RNA, 8‐hydroxy‐7,8‐dihydroguanosine (8‐OHGuo) were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, whereas those of 1‐OHP were measured using HPLC with fluorescence detection. Individual variation rates were calculated on a working day and a working week. The results indicated that, while 1‐OHP levels strongly increased on a working day and even more on a working week, 8‐OHdGuo and 8‐OHGuo urinary levels did not show similar significant increases. Moreover, no correlation between 1‐OHP and oxidative DNA and RNA lesions was found. Consequently, urinary 8‐OHdGuo and 8‐OHGuo did not seem to be relevant biomarkers of genotoxic PAH exposure in the case of the silicon plant studied. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.