Nasal lavages as a tool for monitoring exposure to organic pollutants

Exposure to air and dust pollutants can cause several adverse effects on human health. This study proposes the use of nasal lavages as a non-invasive sampling technique to determine in a direct way pollutant intake through inhalation. We evaluate the occurrence of compounds widely used in domestic products and construction materials (organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFR), phthalates, alkylphenols and bisphenol A), applied for pest control in cities (pesticides) and emitted through car exhausts (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) or smoking (nicotine). Contaminants were liquid-liquid extracted from nasal lavages and analysed using gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). All 29 individuals inhabiting in Barcelona city had phthalates and bisphenol A at concentrations up to 31,300 ng mL−1 for diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and 118 ng mL−1 for BPA. Individual PAHs, OPFR and alkylphenols had median values below their MQLs except for 2-ethylhexyldiphenyl phosphate (EHDPhP) with a median of 1.47 ng mL−1. Nicotine was detected at the highest concentrations in all active smokers (median 2.16 ng mL−1). Contrarily, pesticides were sporadically detected. Nasal lavages revealed to be an appropriate indicator likely to reflect exposure to dust and air contaminants.

Authors want to thank all friends and relatives who offered as volunteers and gave their permission and time to sample their noses. In particular, Sergio Gaona, who helped us by collecting an important part of the sample set. Thanks too to Bruna Tresànchez for the physiological description of nasal cavities and to Marina Bantulà for discussions on this study. The pharmacy Trinquet is acknowledged for supplying the nebulizers with price reduction. M.V acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (Programa Operativo Empleo Juvenil 2014–2020 and Iniciativa de Empleo Juvenil y Fondo Social Europeo).

Peer reviewed