Use of biomarkers in an indoor air study: lack of correlation between aromatic VOCs with respective urinary biomarkers

The benzene and toluene levels inside of eight homes with attached garages were measured during July 1998 in Fairbanks, Alaska. A thermal desorption t ube method and charcoal tube method were used to collect and analyze sample s (thermal desorption tube method %RDS = 1.9 for n = 6; charcoal tube metho d %RDS = 6.5 for n = 4). Results for both methods were compared and showed indoor benzene levels ranging between 1.2 and 72 ppbv. The charcoal tube me thod usually gave lower results than the thermal desorption method. Neverth eless, the difference observed in benzene levels from each method was not s ignificant as determined by application of the Wilcoxon t-test to these dat a. Using the thermal desorption method, the range of toluene found in homes was 0.1-111 ppbv. A correlation between toluene and benzene levels suggest ed the same point source. The benzene and toluene content of the indoor air and the number of small engines stored in the attached garage was also cor related. There was no correlation found between the urinary biomarker conce ntrations and the level of benzene or toluene measured inside the homes in the summer. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.