Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in blood plasma of neurology patients

The etiology of many neurological cases cannot be easily delineated, making the investigation, and treatment to be challenging. This study aims to screen the blood of neurology patients presenting for the first time in the hospital for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) using Flame Ionization Detector – Gas Chromatography. Fourteen PAHs were detected in the samples. The results showed that flourene and phenanthrene were common to all the patients in the range (1.37 to 8.08 and 1.66 to 8.34 ng/mL respectively), but were not detected in the control samples. Pyrene, fluoranthene and acenaphthene were present in 80, 75 and 70% in the blood plasma of the patients at the range of 2.96 to 236.86 ng/mL, 1.96 to 11.55 ng/mL and  1.08 to 1.81 ng/mL respectively. These were not found in the control samples. The body burden of these congeners was much higher in neurology patients than controls and literature values of similar study. The concentrations detected were statistically significant, and could be possible causative agents. This can also become one of the investigative tools for these diseases. Key words:  Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, blood plasma, neurology patients.