title: Mercapturic acids revisited as biomarkers of exposure to reactive chemicals in occupational toxicology: a minireview.
abstract: A minireview is presented concerning the use of mercapturic acids as biological exposure index for electrophilic chemicals. Besides pure analytical aspects, this minireview considers possible issues in relation to (a) the added value of mercapturic acids as compared to other well validated biomarkers of exposure and (b) the high inter-individual variability in mercapturic acids excretion. Recent field and/or experimental studies confirm the usefulness of mercapturic acids as biological exposure index for electrophilic chemicals and suggest the interest of a toxicogenetic approach for a better interpretation of the results of biological monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Université catholique de Louvain, Unité de Toxicologie Industrielle et Environnementale, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30 boite 54, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium. haufroid@toxi.ucl.ac.be
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haufroid
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lison
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000652:urine; D001530:Belgium; D015415:Biomarkers; D005978:Glutathione; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D043922:Toxicogenetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine