Biological monitoring of vehicle mechanics and other workers exposed to low concentrations of benzene

被引:60
作者
Hotz, P
Carbonnelle, P
Haufroid, V
Tschopp, A
Buchet, JP
Lauwerys, R
机构
[1] UNIV CATHOLIQUE LOUVAIN,IND TOXICOL & OCCUPAT MED UNIT,B-1200 BRUSSELS,BELGIUM
[2] UNIV ZURICH,INST SOCIAL & PREVENT MED,CH-8006 ZURICH,SWITZERLAND
关键词
muconic acid; S-phenylmercapturic acid; hydroquinone; benzene; biological monitoring;
D O I
10.1007/s004200050183
中图分类号
R1 [预防医学、卫生学];
学科分类号
1004 ; 120402 ;
摘要
It has been suggested that the threshold limit value (TLV) for the time-weighted average (TWA), of benzene be lowered because of its possible leukemogenic effect at low exposure concentrations. This requires the development of new methods of biological monitoring. In this cross-sectional study the diagnostic power of blood and breath benzene and of urinary phenol, catechol, hydroquinone, S-phenylmercapturic acid, and muconic acid were compared in a population of 410 male workers exposed to benzene in garages, in two coke plants, and in a by-product plant. Benzene exposure was assessed by personal air sampling (charcoal tube and passive dosimeter). In all, 95% of the workers were exposed to less than 0.5 ppm benzene. According to the multiple regression equation, the muconic acid and S-phenylmercapturic acid concentrations detected in nonsmokers exposed to 0.5 ppm benzene were 0.3 mg/g and 6 mu g/g, respectively (range 0.2-0.6 mg/g and 1.2-8.5 mu g/g, respectively). With muconic acid very few false-positive test results were found, and this determination remained reliable even around a cutoff level of 0.1 ppm benzene. Moreover, the diagnostic power of this test proved to be good even when diluted or concentrated urine samples were not excluded. S-Phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) also performed fairly well. Blood and breath benzene as well as urinary phenol (PH) and hydroquinone (HQ) were clearly less suitable biomarkers than muconic acid (MA). Catechol (CA) was not associated with occupational benzene exposure. According to the results of biological monitoring, the skin resorption of benzene from gasoline or other fuels seems negligible. Correlation, multiple regression, and likelihood ratios consistently showed that MA and S-PMA concentrations were fairly good indicators of benzene exposure in the 0.1- to 1-ppm range, even in a population comprising both smokers and nonsmokers. PH, HQ, CA, and blood and breath benzene were less suitable, if at all, in the same exposure range.
引用
收藏
页码:29 / 40
页数:12
相关论文
共 45 条
[31]   Biomarkers of exposure to low concentrations of benzene: A field assessment [J].
Ong, CN ;
Kok, PW ;
Ong, HY ;
Shi, CY ;
Lee, BL ;
Phoon, WH ;
Tan, KT .
OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, 1996, 53 (05) :328-333
[32]  
PETTIGREW AR, 1972, CLIN CHEM, V18, P996
[33]   CONCENTRATIONS OF BENZENE IN BLOOD AND S-PHENYLMERCAPTURIC AND T,T-MUCONIC ACID IN URINE IN CAR MECHANICS [J].
POPP, W ;
RAUSCHER, D ;
MULLER, G ;
ANGERER, J ;
NORPOTH, K .
INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, 1994, 66 (01) :1-6
[34]   COMPARISON OF THE CHARCOAL TUBE AND A PASSIVE ORGANIC VAPOR DOSIMETER AS SAMPLE COLLECTION DEVICES FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF EXPOSURE TO COMPONENTS OF GASOLINE VAPOR [J].
PURDHAM, JT ;
SASSKORTSAK, AM ;
BOZEK, PR .
ANNALS OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE, 1994, 38 (05) :721-740
[35]   SERUM GAMMA GLUTAMYL TRANSPEPTIDASE IN RELATION TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION [J].
ROLLASON, JG ;
PINCHERLE, G ;
ROBINSON, D .
CLINICA CHIMICA ACTA, 1972, 39 (01) :75-+
[36]  
Rothman N, 1996, AM J IND MED, V29, P236, DOI 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(199603)29:3<236::AID-AJIM3>3.0.CO
[37]  
2-O
[38]  
RUSHTON L, 1983, BRIT J IND MED, V40, P340
[39]  
SAS Institute, 1987, SAS STAT GUID PERS C
[40]  
SATO A, 1980, BRIT J IND MED, V37, P382