Effect of Benzene Exposure on the Urinary Biomarkers of Nucleic Acid Oxidation in Two Cohorts of Gasoline Pump Attendants

Mariella Carrieri, Daniela Pigini, Andrea Martinelli, Enrico Paci, Federica Maratini, Fabiola Salamon and Giovanna Tranfo
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Mariella Carrieri: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
Daniela Pigini: INAIL Research, Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene Via di Fontana Candida 1, 00040 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy
Andrea Martinelli: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
Enrico Paci: INAIL Research, Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene Via di Fontana Candida 1, 00040 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy
Federica Maratini: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
Fabiola Salamon: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
Giovanna Tranfo: INAIL Research, Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene Via di Fontana Candida 1, 00040 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: (1) Background: The oxidized guanine derivatives excreted into urine, products of DNA and RNA oxidation and repair, are used as biomarkers of oxidative damage in humans. This study aims to evaluate oxidative damage in gasoline pump attendants occupationally exposed to benzene. Benzene is contained in the gasoline but it is also produced from traffic and from smoking. (2) Methods: Twenty-nine gasoline pump attendants from two major cities of Saudi Arabia and 102 from Italy were studied for urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo), and S-phenyl-mercapturic acid (SPMA) for benzene exposure and urinary cotinine for smoking status assessment by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Airborne benzene was also assessed in the Italian group by gas-chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). (3) Results: The results suggest that high levels of benzene exposure can cause an accumulation of SPMA and bring about the formation of the oxidation biomarkers studied to saturation. At low exposure levels, SPMA and oxidation biomarker levels were correlated among them and were associated with the smoking habit. (4) Conclusions: The study confirms the association between benzene exposure and the excretion of nucleic acid oxidation biomarkers and enhances the importance of measuring the smoking habit, as it can significantly influence oxidative damage, especially when the exposure levels are low.

Keywords: benzene exposure; SPMA; nucleic acids oxidation; oxidative stress; urinary biomarkers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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