Influence of postnatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure on the neurodevelopment of toddlers at the age of 12 months.

Objectives: To investigate the possible influence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure on neurodevelopment of toddlers at the age of 12 months.

Methods: Totally 306 subjects were recruited from the Qingdao Birth Cohort established in 2014. PAH-DNA adducts in toddlers' umbilical cord blood samples, hydroxyl-PAH metabolites in their urine samples and the developmental quotients (DQs) were measured. Sex, gestational age, birth weight, and maternal educational background were adjusted to analyze the influence of the PAH exposure on the neurodevelopment of the toddlers using multivariate linear regression model.

Results: Pearson correlation test showed that the logarithmic values of hydroxyl-PAH were negatively correlated with the DQs. Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that logarithmic concentration of 1(9)- hydroxyphenanthrene was still associated with the DQs of the fine motor behaviors with β and 95% confidential interval (CI) of -1.137 (-2.053, -0.222), together with PAH-DNA adducts [β (95% CI): -0.577 (-0.930, -0.225)]. PAH-DNA adducts presented an independently negative influence on the DQs of the gross motor and personal social behaviors with β (95%CI) of -0.470 (-0.814, -0.126) and -0.526 (-0.859, -0.193), respectively.

Conclusions: The exposure to PAHs in toddlers at 12 months could influence their neurodevelopment. Additionally, prenatal exposure to PAHs should also be considered.