Research note: Urine trans,trans-muconic acid as a biomarker for benzene exposure in gas station attendants in Bangkok, Thailand

The toxicity of benzene, a chemical used in many industrial processes, invo lves bone marrow depression and leukemogenesis and is associated with damag e to multiple classes of hematopoietic cells and hematopoietic functions. E nvironmental exposure to benzene causes an increased body burden, which is reflected in several biomarkers, eg, urine trans, trans-muconic acid (ttMA) . Associated with the industrialization of Thailand, a developing country i n Southeast Asia, workers in many occupations have acquired substantial ris ks of benzene exposure. In this study, benzene exposure was monitored by hi gh-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of urine ttMA in 79 persons, in cluding 49 controls and 30 gas station attendants. In controls, urine ttMA concentration averaged 0.12 (SD +/- 0.03) mg/g creatinine; in gas station a ttendants, urine ttMA concentration averaged 4.00 (SD +/- 12.49) mg/g creat inine (p < 0.05). Based on these findings, wider use of urine ttMA determin ation is recommended as a biomarker for occupational exposure to benzene.