International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2013): 4.438 Volume 4 Issue 7, July 2015 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY The Presence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Blood of Pregnant Women in Cotonou, Benin Republic Taiwo O. Okuku 1 , Elijah J. Nya 2 1 Irgib –Africa University, 07 BP 231, Cotonou, Benin Republic 2 Biotechnology & Genetics Research Centre, Akwa Ibom State University, P. M. B 1167, Uyo, Nigeria Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous air pollutants generated by combustion sources that include motor vehicles, coal-fired power plants and residential heating and cooking. They are compound consisting of several aromatic rings of hydrocarbons. They are classified as toxic, mutagens and carcinogens by World Health Organization (WHO). The study investigate the presence of these hydrocarbons in the blood of pregnant women expose to high endemic region of hydrocarbons to elucidate the prevalent causes of malformation of fetus and newborns witnessed in pregnant women from the area. Blood were isolated intravenously from seventeen (17) pregnant women; 2.0 ml per person and the blood were tested for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using Gas chromatography (GC). The result indicated that nine (9) had between 4.2- 4.73ng/kg, and seven (7) had between 5.1- 5.27ng/kg and only one (1) had 7.09ng/kg of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, indicating that only one woman had PAHs in her blood above WHO safety threshold of 7.00ng/kg pack cells (PC). Keywords: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Pregnant women, fetus, air pollutants, Gas chromatography (GC) 1. Introduction Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous air pollutants generated by incomplete combustion from motor vehicles, coal-fired power plants and fumes from residential heating and cooking. Also tobacco smoking and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are a major source of PAHs in the atmosphere (BAEK et. al, 1991). A number of PAHs are human mutagens and carcinogens and are potentially significant reproductive and developmental toxicants. Epidemiological studies indicated associations between PAHs or PAH-DNA damage and fetal growth reduction (Perera et. al, 1988). PAHs present themselves in two groups. The light weight PAHs (naphthalene, acenaphthene, and anthracene) which differ from the Heavy PAHs (Benzo(a) pyrene, Benzo (ghi) andPerylene, and by the number of aromatic rings and their molecular weight (Perera et al, 2005). The differences are placed on their physico-chemical and toxicological properties. In the environment, PAHS compounds with 2 to 7 aromatic rings are more present and more mobile. Their number is estimated at over 1000 and only 16 of them are commonly analyzed for the different components in the environment. These are identified as Priority Pollutants by the Agency of Environmental Protection in the United State (USEPA) because of the major environmental risks and toxicological problems they posed (ATSDR, 1995). Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons usually occurs by breathing air contaminated by wild fires or coal tar, or by eating foods that have been grilled. PAHs have been found in at least 600 of the 1,430 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United State (EPA). PAHS can leach from soil into water, water contamination also occurs from industrial effluents and accidental spills during oil shipment at sea. Concentration of benzo(a) pyrene in drinking water are generally lower than those untreated water and about 100 fold lower than the U.S environmental protection agency (EPA) drinking water standard. The U.S environmental protection agency’s maximum contaminant level (MCL) for benzo (a) pyrene in drinking water is 0.2 parts per billon (ppb). Soil contains measurable amounts of PAHs, primarily from air borne fallout. Documented levels of PAHS in soil near oil refineries have been as high as 200 μg/kg micro grams per kilogram of fine soil. Their level in soil samples obtained near cities and areas with high traffic were typically less than 200,000 μg/kg (IARC 1993). In non –occupational setting most PAH exposure by a non - smoking person can be associated with diet. Route of expose may include inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact. Toxicity of PAHs is recognized and classified as substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic and lethal. In addition to their ubiquitous nature, their high toxicity justifies their classification as persistent organic pollutant (POPs) and their inclusion as priority substances on the toxicity lists of the European Community, the Agency for Environmental Protection of the United States (USEPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are also pollutants released from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and are always found as a mixture of individual compounds. Due to economic growth and sharp increasing energy consumption in recent years, large quantities of PAHs and their derivatives are prevalent in our environment. PAHs have been extensively studied in recent times. Many authors have reviewed the origin and distribution of PAHs in the atmosphere, soil and sediment in natural environments. They found out that PAHs represent a class of toxicological compounds that can create a variety of hazardous effect in vivo and in vitro, including genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, Paper ID: SUB156552 1502