Summary
To compare two methods of biological monitoring for the evaluation of risk of occupational exposure to n-hexane, we analyzed the relationship between environmental exposure to this solvent and urinary excretion of 2,5-hexanedione and n-hexane in exhaled air in 69 workers employed in the shoe industry. Environmental exposure to the solvent was monitored with personal diffusive samplers, which were desorbed with carbon sulfide and analyzed by gas chromatography. To measure 2,5-hexanedione, urine was subjected to acid hydrolysis, separation in octadecyl silane columns, elution with 5% aqueous acetonitrile solution and extraction with dichloromethane, followed by gas chromatography. In exhaled air, n-hexane was measured with a sampling system that permitted concentration of aliquots of end-exhaled air (alveolar air) from one or more exhalations in a tube packed with activated charcoal, which was then desorbed with carbon sulfide and analyzed by gas chromatography. Concentrations of n-hexane in breathing zone air were significantly correlated with urinary concentrations of 2,5-hexanedione (r = 0.88) and with exhaled air n-hexane (r = 0.86); in addition, the two biological indicators correlated significantly (r = 0.70). Analyses in both exhaled air and urine were thus considered useful for biological monitoring of the risk of exposure to n-hexane.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (1991) Threshold limit values and biological exposure indices for 1991–1992. Cincinnati, USA
Bartolucci GB, Perbellini L, Gori GP, Brugnone F, Corona PC, De Rosa E (1986) Occupational exposure to solvents: field comparison of active and passive samplers and biological monitoring of exposed workers. Ann Occup Hyg 30:295–306
Cardona A, Marhuenda D, Marti J, Brugnone F, Roel J, Perbellini L (1993) Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to n-hexane by measuring urinary 2,5-hexanedione. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 65:71–74
Cianchetti C, Abbitti G, Perticoni GF, Siracusa A, Curradi F (1976) Toxic polyneuropathy of shoe industry workers. A study of 122 cases. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 39:1151–1161
De Rosa E, Bartolucci GB, Gori GP, Perbellini L, Brugnone F (1987) Use of diffusive dosimeters in the monitoring of occupational exposure to solvents. In: Berlin A, Brown RH, Saunders KJ (eds) Diffusive sampling, an alternative approach to workplace air monitoring. Royal Society of Chemistry. London, pp 82–84
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (1991) Maximum concentrations at the workplace and biological tolerance values for working materials 1991. VCH, New York
Herskowitz A, Ishii N, Schaumburg HH (1971) n-Hexane neuropathy. A syndrome occurring as a result of industrial exposure. N Engl J Med 285:82–85
Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e Higiene en el Trabajo (1990) Analytical method for n-hexane and toluene in air by means of diffusive samplers. MTA/MA 015/R88. Ed INSHT, Madrid
Iwata M, Takeuchi Y, Hisanaga N, Ono Y (1983) A study on biological monitoring of n-hexane exposure. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 51:253–260
Kawai T, Yasugi T, Mizunuma K, Horiguchi S, Uchida Y, Iwami O, Iguchi H, Ikeda M (1991) Dose dependent increase in 2,5-hexanedione in the urine of workers exposed to n-hexane. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 63:285–291
Ogata M, Iwamoto T, Taguchi T (1991) Urinary 2,5-hexanedione assay involving its conversion to 2,5-dimethylpyrrole. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 62:561–568
Perbellini L, Brugnone F, Faggionato G (1981) Urinary excretion of the metabolites of n-hexane and its isomers during occupational exposure. Br J Ind Med 38:20–26
Perbellini L, Bartolucci GB, Brugnone F, De Rosa E, Valentini F (1985) II 2,5-esandione nel controllo biologico dell'esposizione professionale a n-esano. Med Lav 76:35–43
Perbellini L, Marhuenda D, Cardona A, Giulari C, Brugnone F (1990) An improved method of analyzing 2,5-hexanedione in urine. Br J Ind Med 47:421–424
Periago JF, Uribe B (1992) Interlaboratory comparison of diffusive samplers for organic vapour monitoring in workplace air. In: Brown RH, Curtis M, Saunders KJ, Vandenddriessche S (eds) Clean air at work, new trends in assessment and measurement for the 1990s. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, pp 452–456
Periago JF, Luna A, Morente A, Zambudio A (1992a) Design and evaluation of an exhaled breath sampler for biological monitoring of organic solvents. J Appl Toxicol 12:91–96
Periago JF, Luna A, Morente A (1992b) Validation of an exhaled breath sampler for monitoring organic solvents. A study with volunteers. Rev Toxicol 9:97–102
Periago JF, Luna A, Morente A (1992c) Determination of solvents in exhaled air in a population of exposed workers. Rev Toxicol 9:103–106
Saito I, Shibata E, Huang J, Hisanaga N, Ono Y, Takeuchi Y (1991) Determination of urinary 2,5-hexanedione concentration by an improved analytical method as an index of exposure to n-hexane. Br J Ind Med 48:568–574
Sobue I, Mitsumo I, Yamamura Y, Takanagui T (1978) n-Hexane induced polyneuropathy. Int J Neurol 11:317–330
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Periago, J.F., Cardona, A., Marhuenda, D. et al. Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to n-hexane by exhaled air analysis and urinalysis. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 65, 275–278 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381203
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381203