ABSTRACT
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of ubiquitous environmental contaminants formed by incomplete combustion of organic material. The main sources of human exposure include occupation, passive and active smoking, food, water, and ambient air pollution [1]. Children may face increased vulnerability to environmental exposures, including PAHs, due to their unique behavior patterns and higher ingestion and inhalation rates given their body size. In a representative sample of the U.S. population, children (aged 6-11 years) had higher levels of PAH urinary
metabolites than adolescents (aged 12-19) and adults (aged ≥20 years) [2]. This is consistent with previous studies of urinary PAH metabolites in children [3, 4] and, also is consistent with children’s higher PAH intakes from diet, air, and soil [5, 6].
