Assessment of occupational exposure to benzene, toluene and xylenes in urban and rural female workers.
OBJECTIVE
This is the first research study to compare among female, non-smoker workers: (a) the exposure to benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTXs) in urban air during work in the street (traffic policewomen, TP) vs. work in vehicles (police drivers, PD); (b) the exposure to BTXs in urban environments (in street and in car) vs. rural environments (roadwomen, RW); (c) the values of blood benzene, urinary trans, trans muconic acid (t,t-MA) and urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) in urban areas (in street and in car) vs. rural areas.


METHODS
Passive personal samplings and data acquired using fixed monitoring stations located in different areas of the city were used to measure environmental and occupational exposure to BTXs during the work shift in 48 TP, 21 PD and 22 RW. In the same study subjects, blood benzene, t,t-MA and S-PMA were measured at the end of each work shift.


RESULTS
Personal exposure of urban workers to benzene seemed to be higher than the exposure measured by the fixed monitoring stations. Personal exposure to benzene and toluene was (a) similar among TP and PD and (b) higher among urban workers compared to rural workers. Personal exposure to xylenes was (a) higher in TP than in PD and (b) higher among urban workers compared to rural workers. Blood benzene, t,t-MA and S-PMA levels were similar among TP and PD, although the blood benzene level was significantly higher in urban workers compared to rural workers. In urban workers, airborne benzene and blood benzene levels were significantly correlated.


CONCLUSIONS
Benzene is a human carcinogen, and BTXs are potential reproductive toxins at low dose exposures. Biological and environmental monitoring to assess exposure to BTXs represents a preliminary and necessary tool for the implementation of preventive measures for female subjects working in outdoor environments.
Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopaedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine, University of Rome Sapienza, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Manuela
M
Ciarrocca
Gianfranco
G
Tomei
Maria
M
Fiaschetti
Tiziana
T
Caciari
Carlotta
C
Cetica
Giorgia
G
Andreozzi
Assunta
A
Capozzella
Maria Pia
MP
Schifano
Jean-Claude
JC
Andre'
Francesco
F
Tomei
Angela
A
Sancini
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D001554:Benzene / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016495:Police; D012424:Rural Population; D013011:Sorbic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D014050:Toluene / Q000097:blood*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis; D014992:Xylenes / Q000097:blood*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; C005939:muconic acid; C053003:S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine; D001554:Benzene; D000111:Acetylcysteine; D013011:Sorbic Acid