title: A case study on co-exposure to a mixture of organic solvents in a Tunisian adhesive-producing company.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to assess environmental and biological monitoring of exposure to organic solvents in a glue-manufacturing company in Sfax, Tunisia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exposure of volunteer workers, in the solvented glue-work-stations, in the control laboratory and in the storage rooms of the finished products, was assessed through indoor-air and urine measurements. Informed consent of the workers was obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The exposure indexes were found with high values in the solvented workshop as well as in the control laboratory and were respectively, 8.40 and 3.12. These indexes were also correlated with hexane and toluene indoor air concentrations. As to urine, the obtained results for the 2,5-hexandione and hippuric acid, metabolites of hexane and toluene, respectively, were in accord with the indoor-air measurements, with an average of 0.46 mg/l and 1240 mg/g of creatinine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study assessed for the first time biological exposure to organic solvents used in Tunisian adhesive industries. Although values are likely to underestimate true exposure levels, some figures exceed European and American occupational exposure guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory, National school of Engineers, Sfax University, Sfax - Tunisia. Imed.Gargouri@fmsf.rnu.tn.
authors.forename: Imed
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gargouri
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khadhraoui
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nisse
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leroyer
authors.forename: Mohamed L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Masmoudi
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frimat
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marzin
authors.forename: Boubaker
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elleuch
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zmirou-Navier
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