The influence of demographic and lifestyle factors on urinary levels of PAH metabolites—empirical analyses of Cycle 2 (2009–2011) CHMS data

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of compounds formed during the incomplete combustion of organic matter. Several are mutagenic carcinogens; the magnitude of exposure can be assessed by examining urinary levels of PAH metabolites. Data from biomonitoring studies that record urinary PAH metabolite levels, as well as demographic and lifestyle information, can be used to investigate relationships between PAH exposure and variables, such as smoking status, workplace smoking restrictions, age, sex, household income, home age, and occupation. This study analysed creatinine-adjusted urinary PAH metabolite concentrations and questionnaire data from ~1200 individuals aged 16 years and older surveyed in Cycle 2 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Statistical analyses revealed that smoking status, age, and sex are associated with urinary concentrations of a pyrene metabolite (1-OHP), phenanthrene metabolites (ΣOH-Phen), fluorene metabolites (ΣOH-Flu) and naphthalene metabolites (ΣOH-Nap). More specifically, smoking status, age and sex can collectively account for 30, 24, 52, and 34% of the observed variations in 1-OHP, ΣOH-Phen, ΣOH-Flu and ΣOH-Nap metabolites, respectively (p