Fustinoni S, Buratti M, Giampiccolo R, Brambilla G, Foà V, Colombi A
Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento, Milan, Italy.
Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2000 Aug;73(6):389-96. doi: 10.1007/s004200000156.
To compare blood toluene (TOL-B) and urinary toluene (TOL-U) as biomarkers of occupational exposure to toluene, and to set a suitable procedure for collection and handling of specimens.
An assay based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was used both for the determination of toluene urine/air partition coefficient (lambdaurine/air) and for the biological monitoring of exposure to toluene in 31 workers (group A) and in 116 non-occupationally exposed subjects (group B). Environmental toluene (TOL-A) was sampled during the work shift (group A) or during the 24 h before specimen collection (group B). Blood and urine specimens were collected at the end of the shift (group A) or in the morning (group B) and toluene was measured.
Toluene lambdaurine/air was 3.3 +/- 0.9. Based on the specimen/air partition coefficient, it was calculated that the vial in which the sample is collected had to be filled up to 85% of its volume with urine and 50% with blood in order to limit the loss of toluene in the air above the specimen to less than 5%. Environmental and biological monitoring of workers showed that the median personal exposure to toluene (TOL-A) during the work-shift was 80 mg/m3, the corresponding TOL-B was 82 microg/l and TOL-U was 13 microg/l. Personal exposure to toluene in environmentally exposed subjects was 0.05 mg/m3, TOL-B was 0.36 microg/l and TOL-U was 0.20 microg/l. A significant correlation (P < 0.05) was observed between TOL-B or TOL-U and TOL-A (Pearson's r = 0.782 and 0.754) in workers, but not in controls. A significant correlation was found between TOL-U and TOL-B both in workers and in controls (r = 0.845 and 0.681).
The comparative evaluation of TOL-B and TOL-U showed that they can be considered to be equivalent biomarkers as regards their capacity to distinguish workers and controls and to correlate with exposure. However, considering that TOL-U does not require an invasive specimen collection, it appears to be a more convenient tool for the biological monitoring of exposure to toluene.
比较血液甲苯（TOL-B）和尿甲苯（TOL-U）作为职业性甲苯暴露生物标志物的情况，并制定合适的标本采集和处理程序。
采用基于顶空固相微萃取（SPME）的分析方法，测定31名工人（A组）和116名非职业暴露受试者（B组）的尿甲苯/空气分配系数（lambdaurine/air）以及甲苯暴露的生物监测情况。在工作班次期间（A组）或标本采集前24小时（B组）采集环境甲苯（TOL-A）。在班次结束时（A组）或早晨（B组）采集血液和尿液标本并测定甲苯含量。
甲苯lambdaurine/air为3.3±0.9。根据标本/空气分配系数计算得出，为将标本上方空气中甲苯的损失限制在5%以下，采集样品的小瓶中尿液需装满至其体积的85%，血液需装满至50%。对工人的环境和生物监测显示，工作班次期间个人甲苯暴露（TOL-A）中位数为80mg/m³，相应的TOL-B为82μg/l，TOL-U为13μg/l。环境暴露受试者的个人甲苯暴露为0.05mg/m³，TOL-B为0.36μg/l，TOL-U为0.20μg/l。在工人中观察到TOL-B或TOL-U与TOL-A之间存在显著相关性（P<0.05）（Pearson相关系数r = 0.782和0.754），但在对照组中未观察到。在工人和对照组中均发现TOL-U与TOL-B之间存在显著相关性（r = 0.845和0.681）。
TOL-B和TOL-U的比较评估表明，就区分工人和对照组以及与暴露相关性的能力而言，它们可被视为等效的生物标志物。然而，考虑到TOL-U不需要进行侵入性标本采集，它似乎是甲苯暴露生物监测的更便捷工具。
