Effects of exposure to air pollution and smoking on the placental aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity.

Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activities were determined in placental tissues of 152 nonsmoker or exsmoker women who live in Ankara and 125 nonsmoker women who live in areas surrounding Ankara. Levels of AHH were also determined in the placentas of 52 cigarette smokers. The mean AHH activity in the Ankara group was 11.17 +/- 5.41; in the control group, 6.44 +/- 5.48; and for smokers, 45.68 +/- 53.36, which indicates significant differences (p less than .001). There was a strong correlation (r = 0.89) between the AHH activities of individuals who live in Ankara and smoke content of the air. Placental AHH activity did not show any relation to the age, nutritional and dietary habits, factors of indoor pollution, duration of pregnancy, nor did the weight, length and Apgar score of the babies.