2-NAP

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are neurotoxic compounds. However, the association between exposure to PAHs and anxiety remains unclear. We enrolled 4026 participants aged 20 and over from the 2007 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and analyzed 9 urinary PAH metabolites (1-hydroxynaphthalene [1-NAP], 2-NAP, 2-hydroxyfluorene [2-FLU], 3-FLU, 1-hydroxyphenanthrene, 2-PHE, 3-PHE, 1-hydroxypyrene [1-PYR], and 9-FLU). The logistic regression, restricted cubic spline, weighted quantile sum regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression models were used to assess the associations between PAHs and anxiety. After adjusting for covariates, logistic regression analysis showed that 1-NAP, 2-NAP, 3-FLU, 2-FLU, 3-PHE, 1-hydroxyphenanthrene, 1-PYR, and 9-FLU were significantly positively associated with anxiety (P < .05), with odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.12 (1.04, 1.20), 1.20 (1.07, 1.34), 1.20 (1.10, 1.31), 1.24 (1.12, 1.38), 1.19 (1.05, 1.34), 1.17 (1.01, 1.34), 1.16 (1.04, 1.29), and 1.17 (1.03, 1.32). When ln PAHs are used as categorical variables in the model, logistic regression analysis found significant associations between higher exposure quartiles of 1-NAP (Q4: 1.51 [1.18, 1.94]; P-trend = .001), 2-NAP (Q4: 1.45 [1.07, 1.98]; P-trend = .009), 3-FLU (Q4: 1.64 [1.23, 2.18]; P-trend < .001), and 2-FLU (Q4: 1.80 [1.36, 2.37]; P-trend < .001) and anxiety (P < .05). Restricted cubic spline found a significant nonlinear relationship between 1-PYR and anxiety (Pfor-nonlinear = .014, Pfor-overall = .024). Moreover, a positive and significant association was observed between the weighted quantile sum index for the 9 PAHs and anxiety (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.15 [1.04, 1.28]), with the greatest contributions from 1-NAP (40.55%) and 3-FLU (39.98%). The Bayesian kernel machine regression model exhibited a positive trend between mixed PAHs and anxiety. This study suggests that exposure to PAHs, either individually or in combination, may be associated with an increased risk of anxiety.

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during childhood has been associated with altered growth and adiposity in children. The effects of prenatal exposure to PAHs on developmental programming of growth and adiposity are still unknown.

To study the association of prenatal exposure to PAHs with early childhood growth and adiposity measures.

In NYU Children's Health and Environment Study (2016-2019), we studied 880 mother-child pairs for maternal urinary PAH metabolites in early, mid, and late pregnancy and measured child weight, length/height, triceps, and subscapular skinfold thicknesses at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years. We used linear mixed models to investigate associations between average pregnancy exposure to PAHs and the z-scores of child repeated measures. The models were adjusted for sociodemographic and health-related factors.

Children prenatally exposed to higher levels of PAHs had greater weight and length/height z scores. We found an interaction with time-point of child assessment, showing stronger associations at later ages. For instance, PAH exposure was associated with higher weight z-scores at 3 years: coefficient per Ln-unit increase in 2-NAP = 0.25 (95%CI: 0.13, 0.37), 2-PHEN = 0.25 (95%CI: 0.11, 0.39), 1-PYR = 0.13 (95%CI: 0.02, 0.24), and 4-PHEN = 0.09 (95%CI: 0.02, 0.15). Higher concentrations of 2-NAP (coefficient = 0.21, 95%CI: 0.11, 0.31), 2-PHEN (coefficient = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.12, 0.35), 3-PHEN (coefficient = 0.13, 95%CI: 0.02, 0.24]), 4-PHEN (coefficient = 0.09, 95%CI: 0.04, 0.15), and 1-PYR (coefficient = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.02, 0.21) were associated with higher weight z-score at 4 years.

Prenatal PAH exposure may contribute to the developmental programming of growth in childhood.