PURGE-AND-TRAP METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF STYRENE IN URINE

A purge-and-trap method for biological monitoring of styrene in urine was developed. Sorbent tubes packed with Tenax TA were used to trap st yrene vapour purged from urine. Thermal desorption-gas chromatography was used for sorbent tubes analysis. The detection limit (0.70 mu g/l) , linearity range, recovery (>94% for spiked urine samples) and repeat ability for urine from occupational exposed workers show the suitabili ty of the method for the determination of styrene in urine. One specif ic advantage of this method is the possibility of storage of the charg ed sorbent tubes during long periods of time without a significant los s of styrene. This approach can be used, with slight modifications, fo r urinary determination of several others organic contaminants commonl y present in occupational exposures.