Jy. Jang et al., BIOLOGICAL EXPOSURE INDEXES OF ORGANIC-SOLVENTS FOR KOREAN WORKERS, International archives of occupational and environmental health, 65(1), 1993, pp. 190000219-190000222
Biological exposure indices (BEIs) of toluene, perchloroethylene (PCE)
and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) for Korean workers were studied respect
ively. Exposure in workplace to organic solvents were measured by pers
onal sampling. Blood toluene, blood PCE, urinary trichloroacetic acid
and urinary MEK were determined by headspace GC. Urinary hippuric acid
was determined by HPLC and corrected for creatinine. BEIs for Korean
workers were calculated with the levels of the determinants correspond
ing to permissible exposure limits in Korea which were the same with T
LV of ACGIH. Blood toluene level of 2.2 mg/l and urinary hippuric acid
level of 1.7 g/g creatinine corresponded to exposure of 100 ppm tolue
ne. Blood PCE concentration of 1.6 mg/l and urinary, trichloroacetic a
cid concentration of 2.9 mg/l corresponded to exposure to 50 ppm PCE.
Urinary MEK concentration of 1.4 mg/l corresponded to exposure to 200
ppm of MEK. In conclusion, BEIs for Korean workers determined in this
study were different to ACGIH's BEI as urinary determinants were lower
and blood determinants were higher than ACGIH's BEI.