BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE BENZENE AND OTHER AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN MILAN TRAFFIC WARDENS

Environmental and biological monitoring of airborne aromatic hydrocarb ons has been performed in 20 policemen working as traffic wardens expo sed to motor vehicle exhausts and in 19 peers employed as clerks. Airb orne benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene concentrations, measure d during the workshift, resulted in significantly higher outdoor than indoor concentrations (benzene and related aromatic hydrocarbons mean values, respectively of 53 and 350 mu g/m(3) vs. 29 and 180 mu g/m(3)) . Blood benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene concentrations did n ot differ significantly between indoor and outdoor workers; no differe nces were found between values obtained at the beginning (07:30 h) and the end of shift (00:30) in either group. Blood hydrocarbon concentra tions seem to reflect airborne pollution, whilst the blood benzene con centration determined after the workshift poorly reflects airborne ben zene morning peaks. Endshift blood benzene mean concentration in smoke rs (462 ng/l, n = 9) differs significantly from non-smokers (299 ng/l, n = 39).