title: Biomonitoring of N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone in automobile varnishers.
abstract: N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidones are important organic solvents for varnishes in industry. This study investigates exposure to N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone (NEP) in varnishing of hard plastic components in an automobile plant. Two specific biomarkers of exposure, 5-hydroxy-N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone (5-HNEP) and 2-hydroxy-N-ethylsuccinimide (2-HESI), were analyzed in urine samples of 14 workers. For this purpose, pre-shift, post-shift and next day pre-shift urine samples were collected midweek. Twelve workers performed regular work tasks (loading, wiping and packing), whereas two workers performed special work tasks including cleaning the sprayer system with organic solvents containing N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidones. Spot urine samples of nine non-exposed persons of the same plant served as controls. Median post-shift urinary levels of workers with regular work tasks (5-HNEP: 0.15 mg/L; 2-HESI: 0.19 mg/L) were ∼5-fold higher compared to the controls (0.03 mg/L each). Continuously increasing metabolite levels, from pre-shift via post-shift to pre-shift samples of the following day, were observed in particular for the two workers with the special working tasks. Maximum levels were 31.01 mg/L (5-HNEP) and 8.45 mg/L (2-HESI). No clear trend was evident for workers with regular working tasks. In summary, we were able to show that workers can be exposed to NEP during varnishing tasks in the automobile industry.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koslitz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Swetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Birgit Karin
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger Martin
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brüning
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: kaefferlein@ipa-dguv.de.
authors.forename: Heiko Udo
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Käfferlein
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000737:chemistry*; D001336:Automobiles; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010150:Paint / Q000032:analysis; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000652:urine*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; C523727:N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D012997:Solvents
keywords: 2-HESI; 5-HNEP; Biomonitoring; N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone; NEP; Occupational exposure; Urine analysis