Estimating amounts of toluene inhaled by workers with protective mask using biological indicators of toluene.
Personal air samplers were attached to workers wearing protective masks to determine the levels of toluene vapor in the breathing zone. Concentrations of toluene in exhaled air, blood and urine; and hippuric acid and o-cresol concentrations in the urine of the workers were determined. Subsequently, toluene concentrations in the air inhaled by workers with and without gas masks were estimated by single and multiple regression equations. Analysis of single regression equations revealed that, compared with toluene concentrations in air, masks decreased the concentrations of the four biological exposure indicators: toluene in exhaled air, urinary toluene, urinary hippuric acid and urinary o-cresol by about 29% in average. Analysis by multiple regression equations showed a decrease of 38% in four biological indicators. Since average exposure to toluene in the shop was relatively low, the workers wore the masks only during high concentrations of toluene; they were, however, exposed to direct inhalation when the masks were removed in lower concentrations.
Ogata
M
M
Department of Medical Social Work, Faculty of Medical Welfare, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Okayama City, Okayama, Japan.
Michitsuji
H
H
Fujiki
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D003408:Cresols / Q000652:urine; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006626:Hippurates / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003408:Cresols; D006626:Hippurates; D014050:Toluene; C030514:hippuric acid; C034047:2-cresol