Benzene and naphthalene in air and breath as indicators of exposure to jet fuel.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate exposures to benzene and naphthalene among military personnel working with jet fuel (JP-8) and to determine whether naphthalene might serve as a surrogate for JP-8 in studies of health effects.


METHODS
Benzene and naphthalene were measured in air and breath of 326 personnel in the US Air Force, who had been assigned a priori into low, moderate, and high exposure categories for JP-8.


RESULTS
Median air concentrations for persons in the low, moderate, and high exposure categories were 3.1, 7.4, and 252 microg benzene/m3 air, 4.6, 9.0, and 11.4 microg benzene/m3 breath, 1.9, 10.3, and 485 microg naphthalene/m3 air, and 0.73, 0.93, and 1.83 microg naphthalene/m3 breath, respectively. In the moderate and high exposure categories, 5% and 15% of the benzene air concentrations, respectively, were above the 2002 threshold limit value (TLV) of 1.6 mg/m3. Multiple regression analyses of air and breath levels revealed prominent background sources of benzene exposure, including cigarette smoke. However, naphthalene exposure was not unduly influenced by sources other than JP-8. Among heavily exposed workers, dermal contact with JP-8 contributed to air and breath concentrations along with several physical and environmental factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Personnel having regular contact with JP-8 are occasionally exposed to benzene at levels above the current TLV. Among heavily exposed workers, uptake of JP-8 components occurs via both inhalation and dermal contact. Naphthalene in air and breath can serve as useful measures of exposure to JP-8 and uptake of fuel components in the body.
Egeghy
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Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7431, USA.
Hauf-Cabalo
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Gibson
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Rappaport
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D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D000401:Aircraft; D001554:Benzene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D016014:Linear Models; D008889:Military Personnel; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D016272:Occupational Health; D013723:Teratogens / Q000032:analysis*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D006838:Hydrocarbons; C098607:JP8 aviation fuel; D009281:Naphthalenes; D013723:Teratogens; C031721:naphthalene; D001554:Benzene