title: Electronic noses for monitoring benzene occupational exposure in biological samples of Egyptian workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Benzene is commonly emitted in several industries, leading to widespread environmental and occupational exposure hazards. While less toxic solvents have been substituted for benzene, it is still a component of petroleum products and is a trace impurity in industrial products resulting in continued higher occupational exposures in industrial settings in developing countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the potential use of an electronic nose (e-nose) to monitor the headspace volatiles in biological samples from benzene-exposed Egyptian workers and non-exposed controls. The study population comprised 150 non-smoking male workers exposed to benzene and an equal number of matching non-exposed controls. We determined biomarkers of benzene used to estimate exposure and risk including: benzene in exhaled air and blood; and its urinary metabolites such as phenol and muconic acid using gas chromatography technique and a portable e-nose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average benzene concentration measured in the ambient air of the workplace of all studied industrial settings in Alexandria, Egypt; was 97.56 ± 88.12 μg/m(3) (range: 4.69-260.86 μg/m(3)). Levels of phenol and muconic acid were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in both blood and urine of benzene-exposed workers as compared to non-exposed controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The e-nose technology has successfully classified and distinguished benzene-exposed workers from non-exposed controls for all measured samples of blood, urine and the exhaled air with a very high degree of precision. Thus, it will be a very useful tool for the low-cost mass screening and early detection of health hazards associated with the exposure to benzene in the industry.
authors.affiliation: Medical Biophysics Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. eimohamed@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ehab I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Gihane I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: Samir M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Mageed
authors.forename: Amani M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bayoumi
authors.forename: Heba S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ramadan
authors.forename: Metwally A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kotb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D001554:Benzene / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D062609:Electronic Nose; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001554:Benzene