title: Urinary mandelic acid as an exposure test for ethylbenzene.
abstract: Absorption of ethylbenzene and excretion of mandelic acid were investigated under controlled conditions in six volunteers, exposed at concentrations of 18, 34, 80, and 200 mg/m3. Retention of ethylbenzene vapours in the lungs was 49 +/- 5%. Elimination of mandelic acid was found to be biphasic, with biological half-life values of 3.1 and 24.5 h. Total excreted mandelic acid accounts for 55 +/- 2% of retained ethylbenzene. The results obtained were applied to devise an exposure test for ethylbenzene, which would enable the precise evaluation of exposure at low ethylbenzene, vapour concentrations (+/- 13%). Exposures, carried out dermally, gave a rationale for the exclusion of the skin as a route of entry of ethylbenzene vapours into the body.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008333:Mandelic Acids / Q000652:urine*; D008433:Mathematics; D012869:Skin Absorption; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D008333:Mandelic Acids; C004912:ethylbenzene; C037938:mandelic acid