title: Biological monitoring of acrylonitrile exposure.
abstract: This study reports the results obtained with the environmental and biological monitoring of 34 workers exposed to acrylonitrile (ACN). Occupational exposure was monitored during 8-h work shifts with both active and diffusive personal samplers which yielded comparable results. The median exposure was 78 micrograms/m3. The ACN concentration in urine collected at the end of the work shifts correlated significantly with the environmental exposure. The ACN concentration in the pre-shift urine samples (median 3.6 micrograms/l) was lower than that found in the post-shift samples (median 10.9 micrograms/l), but higher than in the urine of non-exposed people (median 0.45 microgram/l). Smoking is an important confounding factor in monitoring exposure to ACN. The ACN concentration in urine provides reliable information about occupational and non-occupational exposure to ACN. Aspects of the mechanism of ACN excretion in urine are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perbellini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ganzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Venturi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerpelloni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brugnone
mesh_terms: D000181:Acrylonitrile / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012907:Smoking; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000181:Acrylonitrile