1-Hydroxyphenanthrene

1-Hydroxyphenanthrene is a phenanthrol and a human metabolite of phenanthrene that can be detected in urine of persons exposed to PAHs.
It can also be used as a marker for PAH pollution measured in marine fish bile.
The model fungus Cunninghamella elegans produces, in the case of the biodegradation of phenanthrene, a glucoside conjugate of 1-hydroxyphenanthrene.

Relationship with smoking

Highly significant differences and dose-response relationships with regard to cigarettes smoked per day were found for 2-, 3- and 4-hydroxyphenanthrene and 1-hydroxypyrene, but not for 1-hydroxyphenanthrene.