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Exposure to cooking oil fumes and oxidative damages: a longitudinal study in Chinese military cooks

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 23, pages 94–100 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Cooking oil fumes (COF) contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heterocyclic aromatic amines, benzene, and formaldehyde, which may cause oxidative damages to DNA and lipids. We assessed the relations between exposure to COF and subsequent oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation among military cooks and office-based soldiers. The study population, including 61 Taiwanese male military cooks and a reference group of 37 office soldiers, collected urine samples pre-shift of the first weekday and post-shift of the fifth workday. We measured airborne particulate PAHs in military kitchens and offices and concentrations of urinary 1-OHP, a biomarker of PAH exposure, urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarkers of oxidative DNA damage, and urinary isoprostane (Isop). Airborne particulate PAHs levels in kitchens significantly exceeded those in office areas. The concentrations of urinary 1-OHP among military cooks increased significantly after 5 days of exposure to COF. Using generalized estimating equation analysis adjusting for confounding, a change in log(8-OHdG) and log(Isop) were statistically significantly related to a unit change in log(1-OHP) (regression coefficient (β), β=0.06, 95% CI 0.001–0.12) and (β=0.07, 95% CI 0.001–0.13), respectively. Exposure to PAHs, or other compounds in cooking oil fumes, may cause both oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Ministry of National Defence (Republic of China). JJ was supported by the Academy of Finland Grants No. 129419 (SALVE Research Program).

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Author notes

  1. Ching-Huang Lai and Jouni J K Jaakkola: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, National Defence Medical Centre, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Ching-Huang Lai, Chien-Yi Chuang & Saou-Hsing Liou

  2. Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Jouni J K Jaakkola

  3. Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan, ROC

    Saou-Hsing Liou

  4. Research Centre for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, ROC

    Shih-Chun Lung

  5. Superintendent Office, Headquarter, Songshan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Ching-Hui Loh

  6. Superintendent Office, Headquarter, National Defence Medical Centre, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Dah-Shyong Yu

  7. Department of Environment Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Paul T Strickland

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  1. Ching-Huang Lai
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Correspondence to Ching-Huang Lai.

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Lai, CH., Jaakkola, J., Chuang, CY. et al. Exposure to cooking oil fumes and oxidative damages: a longitudinal study in Chinese military cooks. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 23, 94–100 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.87

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