The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere
BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from combustion sources are known to be mutagenic, with more potent species also being carcinogenic. Previous studies show that PAHs can undergo complex transformations both in the body and in the atmosphere, yet these transformation proces...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Environmental Health Perspectives
2022
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/145582 |
| _version_ | 1811079546960609280 |
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| author | Hrdina, Amy IH Kohale, Ishwar N Kaushal, Simran Kelly, Jamie Selin, Noelle E Engelward, Bevin P Kroll, Jesse H |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Hrdina, Amy IH Kohale, Ishwar N Kaushal, Simran Kelly, Jamie Selin, Noelle E Engelward, Bevin P Kroll, Jesse H |
| author_sort | Hrdina, Amy IH |
| collection | MIT |
| description | BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from combustion sources are known to be mutagenic, with more potent species also being carcinogenic. Previous studies show that PAHs can undergo complex transformations both in the body and in the atmosphere, yet these transformation processes are generally investigated separately. OBJECTIVES: Drawing from the literature in atmospheric chemistry and toxicology, we highlight the parallel transformations of PAHs that occur in the atmosphere and the body and discuss implications for public health. We also examine key uncertainties related to the toxicity of atmospheric oxidation products of PAHs and explore critical areas for future research. DISCUSSION: We focus on a key mode of toxicity for PAHs, in which metabolic processes (driven by cytochrome P450 enzymes), leads to the formation of oxidized PAHs that can damage DNA. Such species can also be formed abiotically in the atmosphere from natural oxidation processes, potentially augmenting PAH toxicity by skipping the necessary metabolic steps that activate their mutagenicity. Despite the large body of literature related to these two general pathways, the extent to which atmospheric oxidation affects a PAH's overall toxicity remains highly uncertain. Combining knowledge and promoting collaboration across both fields can help identify key oxidation pathways and the resulting products that impact public health. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-disciplinary research, in which toxicology studies evaluate atmospheric oxidation products and their mixtures, and atmospheric measurements examine the formation of compounds that are known to be most toxic. Close collaboration between research communities can help narrow down which PAHs, and which PAH degradation products, should be targeted when assessing public health risks. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9984. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:16:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/145582 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:16:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Environmental Health Perspectives |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1455822022-10-04T03:30:38Z The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere Hrdina, Amy IH Kohale, Ishwar N Kaushal, Simran Kelly, Jamie Selin, Noelle E Engelward, Bevin P Kroll, Jesse H Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from combustion sources are known to be mutagenic, with more potent species also being carcinogenic. Previous studies show that PAHs can undergo complex transformations both in the body and in the atmosphere, yet these transformation processes are generally investigated separately. OBJECTIVES: Drawing from the literature in atmospheric chemistry and toxicology, we highlight the parallel transformations of PAHs that occur in the atmosphere and the body and discuss implications for public health. We also examine key uncertainties related to the toxicity of atmospheric oxidation products of PAHs and explore critical areas for future research. DISCUSSION: We focus on a key mode of toxicity for PAHs, in which metabolic processes (driven by cytochrome P450 enzymes), leads to the formation of oxidized PAHs that can damage DNA. Such species can also be formed abiotically in the atmosphere from natural oxidation processes, potentially augmenting PAH toxicity by skipping the necessary metabolic steps that activate their mutagenicity. Despite the large body of literature related to these two general pathways, the extent to which atmospheric oxidation affects a PAH's overall toxicity remains highly uncertain. Combining knowledge and promoting collaboration across both fields can help identify key oxidation pathways and the resulting products that impact public health. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-disciplinary research, in which toxicology studies evaluate atmospheric oxidation products and their mixtures, and atmospheric measurements examine the formation of compounds that are known to be most toxic. Close collaboration between research communities can help narrow down which PAHs, and which PAH degradation products, should be targeted when assessing public health risks. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9984. 2022-09-27T17:10:17Z 2022-09-27T17:10:17Z 2022 2022-09-27T16:56:00Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/145582 Hrdina, Amy IH, Kohale, Ishwar N, Kaushal, Simran, Kelly, Jamie, Selin, Noelle E et al. 2022. "The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere." Environmental Health Perspectives, 130 (2). en 10.1289/EHP9984 Environmental Health Perspectives Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf Environmental Health Perspectives Environmental Health Perspectives |
| spellingShingle | Hrdina, Amy IH Kohale, Ishwar N Kaushal, Simran Kelly, Jamie Selin, Noelle E Engelward, Bevin P Kroll, Jesse H The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere |
| title | The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere |
| title_full | The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere |
| title_fullStr | The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere |
| title_short | The Parallel Transformations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Body and in the Atmosphere |
| title_sort | parallel transformations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the body and in the atmosphere |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/145582 |
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