title: Protein binding of benzene under ambient exposure conditions.
abstract: Based on examination of exposure monitoring studies, we speculate that under ambient conditions benzene binds appreciably to plasma proteins. The binding capacity, n*[beta], is estimated to be on the order of 10(-9) chi M (90.0 ng/L) and the association constant, Kas, on the order of 2 X 10(10) M-1 (.3 L/ng). These values indicate that protein binding of benzene is characterized by a very small capacity with a very large affinity. We predict that steady-state exposure to ambient benzene air concentrations in the range of 10 ppb to 1 ppb will result in 35 to 80 percent of benzene in blood being bound to plasma proteins.
authors.affiliation: Health and Safety Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee 37831-6109.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Travis
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bowers
mesh_terms: D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D001554:Benzene