title: Correlation between concentrations of n-hexane and toluene in exhaled and environmental air in an occupationally exposed population.
abstract: We determined the correlations between the concentrations of n-hexane and toluene in exhaled and environmental air in the shoe manufacturing industry. Data were collected in 1988 and in 1992 from a total of 265 subjects. Environmental air samples were collected with personal diffusive samplers by adsorption on activated charcoal during exposure and from end-expired air (alveolar air) on cartridges of activated charcoal after exposure. Both compounds were desorbed with carbon disulphide and analysed by gas chromatography. Linear regression analyses showed a good correlation between environmental and end-expired air concentrations (r = 0.82 for n-hexane and r = 0.81 for toluene). These correlations allowed us to calculate the concentrations in expired air corresponding to current environmental limit values. The calculated concentrations in end-expired air that correspond to current environmental threshold limit values of 176 mg m-3 for n-hexane and 377 mg m-3 for toluene are 28 mg m-3 (95% confidence limit, 27-29 mg m-3) and 40 mg m-3 (95% confidence limit, 39-41 mg m-3), respectively. Similar correlations were found when the data from the two study periods were analysed separately.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Hygiene, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Periago
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morente
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villanueva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000327:Adsorption; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis*; D001944:Breath Tests; D002606:Charcoal / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005260:Female; D006586:Hexanes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012775:Shoes; D013030:Spain; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D006586:Hexanes; D002606:Charcoal; C026385:n-hexane; D014050:Toluene