Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) mainly originate from incomplete combustion of organic materials and are, among other sources, found in traffic emissions, smoked or barbecued food, leafy vegetables, and tobacco smoke. Some PAH or their metabolites are hazardous for health and classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction.

Urine samples from 3- to 17-year-old children and adolescents living in Germany were analysed for concentrations of metabolites of the PAH fluorene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene in the population-representative German Environmental Survey for Children and Adolescents GerES V (2014–2017). PAH metabolites were analysed in urine samples of 516 participants and could be quantified in 88–100% of the samples. Geometric mean concentrations were: 0.785 μg/L (0.688 μg/g_creatinine) for 1-OH-naphthalene, 4.233 μg/L (3.706 μg/g_crea) for 2-OH-naphthalene, 0.139 μg/L (0.122 μg/g_crea) for 1-OH-phenanthrene, 0.085 μg/L (0.075 μg/g_crea) for 2-OH-phenanthrene, 0.131 μg/L (0.115 μg/g_crea) for 3-OH-phenanthrene, 0.045 μg/L (0.040 μg/g_crea) for 4-OH-phenanthrene, 0.058 μg/L (0.050 μg/g_crea) for 9-OH-phenanthrene, 0.511 μg/L (0.448 μg/g_crea) for Σ-OH-phenanthrene, and 0.099 μg/L (0.087 μg/g_crea) for 1-OH-pyrene.

Analyses of subgroups revealed higher PAH metabolite concentrations in young children compared to adolescents, and also in residents of former East Germany compared to those living in former West Germany. Increased urinary PAH metabolite concentrations were found in participants using domestic fuel for heating or gas for cooking. Plastic objects were identified as another potential source of exposure. Urinary concentrations of naphthalene and fluorene metabolites were elevated in active smokers and to the same extent in non-smokers exposed to passive smoking. Comparison with previous cycles of GerES revealed a decrease over time and a further decline in the still significant differences in urinary PAH metabolite concentrations of participants living in former East versus West Germany.

多环芳烃（PAH）主要源自有机物质的不完全燃烧，尤其是在交通排放，熏制或烧烤食物，多叶蔬菜和烟草烟雾中发现。一些PAH或其代谢物对健康有害，被分类为致癌，诱变或对生殖有毒。

在人口代表性的德国儿童和青少年环境调查GerES V（2014年）中分析了德国3至17岁儿童和青少年的尿液样本中PAH芴，萘，菲和pyr的代谢物浓度–2017年）。在516名参与者的尿液样本中分析了PAH代谢物，并可以在88-100％的样本中对其进行定量。几何平均浓度为：0.785微克/升（0.688微克/克_{CREA tinine}）1-OH-萘，4.233微克/升（3.706微克/克_CREA）2-OH-萘，0.139微克/升（0.122微克/克_CREA）1-OH-菲，0.085微克/升（0.075微克/克_CREA）2-OH-菲，0.131微克/升（0.115微克/克_CREA）（3-OH-菲），0.045μg/ L（_0.040μg / g _crea）-4-OH-菲，_0.058μg / L（0.050μg/ g _crea），9-OH-菲，0.511μg/ L（0.448微克/克_CREA），用于Σ-OH-菲，和0.099微克/升（0.087微克/克_CREA 1-OH-芘）。

对亚组的分析表明，与青少年相比，幼儿中的PAH代谢物浓度更高；与前西德居民相比，前东德居民的PAH代谢物浓度也更高。在使用家用燃料加热或用天然气烹饪的参与者中，发现尿中PAH代谢物浓度升高。塑料物体被确定为另一个潜在的暴露源。在主动吸烟者中，萘和芴代谢物的尿液浓度升高，在被动吸烟者中，非吸烟者的尿液中萘和芴的代谢物浓度升高。与以前的GerES周期进行比较后，发现居住在前东德和西德的参与者尿中PAH代谢产物浓度的显着差异随时间的推移而进一步降低。