Personal Exposure to PM2.5 and Urinary Hydroxy-PAH Levels in Bus Drivers Exposed to Traffic Exhaust, in Trujillo, Peru

Public transport vehicle drivers, especially in highly polluted or trafficked areas, are exposed to high levels of air pollutants. In this study, we assessed the influence of traffic on levels of hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) in commercial bus drivers in Trujillo, Peru, by measuring the within-shift changes in the urinary whole weight and creatinine-corrected concentrations of the PAH metabolites. We measured personal PM2.5 as a proxy of exposure to traffic emission. Urine samples were collected daily from two bus drivers and three minivan drivers in Trujillo, pre-, mid-, post-work shift and on days when the drivers were off work (total n = 144). Ten OH-PAH metabolites were measured in the urine samples. Drivers were also monitored for exposure to PM2.5 (n = 41). Daily work shift (mean = 13.1 ± 1.3 hr) integrated PM2.5 was measured in the breathing zones of the drivers for an average of 10.5 days per driver. The differences across shift in OH-PAH concentrations were not statistically ...