Environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): The correlation with and impact on reproductive hormones in umbilical cord serum

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a type of ubiquitous pollutant with the potential ability to cause endocrine disruption that would have an adverse health impact on the general population. To assess the maternal exposure to PAHs in neonates and evaluate the possible impact of PAHs on reproductive hormone levels, the concentration of PAHs and reproductive hormone levels in the umbilical cord serum of 98 mother-infant pairs in the Shengsi Islands were investigated. The median concentration of total PAHs was determined to be 164 (Inter-Quartile Range, IQR 93.6–267) ng g⁻¹ lipid, and 68% of the PAHs were lower-molecule congeners. The highest level was found for pyrene (PYR) and naphthalene (NAP), which contributed 54.6% of all the PAHs present in the samples. The exposure to PAHs negatively affected estradiol (E2) and Anti-Mullerian hormones (AMH) and positively affected FSH in the umbilical cord serum. The result expanded the database of the human burden of PAHs and suggested that PAHs can act as a type of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical (EDC). These results may help to understand the complex pathways involved in disorders of human reproductive health associated with prenatal exposure to PAHs. - Highlights: • The concentration of PAHs and reproductive hormones in cord serum were evaluated. • Low-molecular-weight types constitute 68% of total PAHs body burden in cord serum. • Correlations between reproductive hormone levels and PAHs levels were studied. • Environmental exposure to PAHs affected E2 and AMH negatively and FSH positively. • Database of body burden of PAHs expanded, implied that the PAHs act as a EDCs. - In cord serum, low-molecular-weight types constitute 68% of total PAHs body burden and PAHs affected reproductive hormone both positively and negatively.