ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO DIESEL EXHAUST - THE USE OF ANIMMUNOASSAY FOR THE DETERMINATION OF URINARY METABOLITES OF NITROARENES AND POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS

In a repair shop for train engines a pilot study was conducted to inve stigate occupational exposure to diesel exhaust. I-Nitropyrene was det ermined in stationary sampled total suspended particulate matter colle cted on 2 consecutive workdays. Air concentrations of particulate asso ciated I-nitropyrene varied from non-detectable to 5.6 ng/m(3). In spo t urine samples collected on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday urinary metabo lites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their nitro-substituted derivatives were determined using an immunoassay. In the urine samples of 3 diesel mechanics both cumulative and average excretion of urinar y metabolites over 48 and 72 h were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) as compared to the excreted levels in urine samples from 2 office cler ks.