Monitoring exposure to propylene oxide through the determination of hemoglobin alkylation.
The levels of Nt-(2-hydroxypropyl)histidine in hemoglobin were determined for eight employees of a plant where propylene oxide is used and for thirteen referents. Good agreement was obtained between the estimated exposure and the degree of alkylation of hemoglobin; values of 0.1 nmol (11 referents), 0.2 nmol (1 referent), 0.38 nmol (1 referent), 0.2 nmol (1 employee without exposure), 0.85-1.2 nmol (3 employees with low-intermediate exposure), and 4.5-13 nmol (4 employees with high exposure; 10 ppm propylene oxide during 25-75% of the work time) per gram of hemoglobin were recorded. The method gives a measure of the in vivo dose obtained during a period of about four months and is therefore superior to point measurements of concentrations for the surveillance of exposure conditions in work environments.
D000478:Alkylation; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006639:Histidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D013997:Time Factors
D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006639:Histidine; C032769:N-3'-(2-hydroxypropyl)histidine; C009068:propylene oxide