Background Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is widely used as pestcides and preservatves in daily life and agricultural producton, and persistent in the environment. PCP has hepatotoxicity, genotoxicity, and neurotoxicity; however, data on PCP childhood exposure assessment are stll limited.
Objectve This study evaluates urinary concentratons of PCP among school-age children in a county of Jiangsu Province, and explores its potental predictors.
Methods A total of 427 children from a rural area in Jiangsu Province were enrolled. Informaton on sociodemographic characteristcs, residental environment, behaviors, and dietary preferences was collected through questonnaire survey. Spot urine samples were collected from children. Urinary PCP concentratons were measured by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Estmated daily intakes (EDI) of PCP were calculated using steady-state toxicokinetc model. Multple linear regression models were used to analyze predictors of PCP exposure.
Results The detecton rate of urinary PCP was 99.1% in 427 children. The geometric means (95% confdence interval, CI) of unadjusted, creatnine-adjusted, and specifc gravity-adjusted urinary PCP concentratons were 0.106 (0.096-0.119) μg/L, 0.188 (0.167-0.211) μg/g (in creatnine), and 0.132 (0.117-0.149) μg/L, respectvely. The unadjusted concentratons of PCP ranged from < limit of detecton (LOD) to 6.60 μg/L. The geometric mean (95% CI) of EDI of PCP was 0.003 0 (0.002 7-0.003 4) μg/(kg·d). No signifcant difference was observed for the distributon of PCP concentrations among different dietary preferences. Girls showed higher urinary concentrations of PCP than boys (P=0.013). Likewise, children who played farmland and who owned pets had higher urinary PCP levels than those not (P=0.012 and P=0.030), respectvely.
Conclusion PCP exposure is widespread in the studied region. Holding pets and playing on farmland may act as predictors for PCP exposure of children. The fndings indicate that reducton of contactng with PCP in daily li
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