CURVILINEAR RELATION BETWEEN ACETONE IN BREATHING ZONE AIR AND ACETONE IN URINE AMONG WORKERS EXPOSED TO ACETONE VAPOR

An occupational health study was conducted on 45 acetone-exposed male workers in combination with 343 non-exposed men to examine the quantitative relationship between the intensity of acetone vapor exposure and the concentration of acetone in urine. The time-weighted average acetone concentrations were measured by means of diffusive samplers with water as absorbent, whereas urine samples were collected at the end of the shift as well as before the shift on the next morning. Acetone concentration in shift-end urine did not increase when the workers were exposed to acetone up to approx. 15 ppm, and this was followed by a gradual increase at a higher atmospheric acetone concentration, in a manner dependent to acetone vapor concentration. The comparison in acetone concentrations between the urine samples collected at the shift-end and those before the shift of the next morning showed that the levels in two sets of samples were the same among those exposed to 15 or less ppm acetone, whereas acetone in the shift-end samples was significantly higher than the counterpart levels in the pre-shift samples among those exposed to acetone at more than 15 ppm.