Personal exposure to volatile organic compounds. I. Direct measurements in breathing-zone air, drinking water, food, and exhaled breath
A pilot study to test methods of estimating personal exposures to toxic substances and corresponding body burdens was carried out between July and December 1980. Individual exposures to about a dozen volatile organic compounds in air and drinking water were measured for volunteers in New Jersey and North Carolina. Breath samples were also collected from all subjects. About 230 personal air samples, 170 drinking water samples, 66 breath samples, and 4 food samples (16 composites) were analyzed for the target chemicals. Ten compounds were present in air and eight were transmitted mainly through that medium. Chloroform and bromodichloromethane were predominantly transmitted through water and beverages. Food appeared to be a miner route of exposure, except possibly for trichloroethylene in margarine. Seven compounds were present in more than half of the breath samples. Diurnal and seasonal variations were noted in air and water concentrations of some compounds. Some, but not all, of the potentially occupationally exposed individuals had significantly higher workplace exposures to several chemicals. Distributions of air exposures were closer to log normal than normal for most chemicals. Several chemicals were highly correlated with each other in personal air samples, indicating possible common sources of exposures. Compounds detected included benzene, chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, halogens and vinyl chloride.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
- OSTI ID:
- 6004442
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Res.; (United States), Vol. 35:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
TEAM (Total Exposure Assessment Methodology) Study: personal exposures to toxic substances in air, drinking water, and breath of 400 residents of New Jersey, North Carolina, and North Dakota
Concentrations of 20 volatile organic compounds in the air and drinking water of 350 residents of New Jersey compared with concentrations in their exhaled breath
Related Subjects
AIR
SAMPLING
BENZENE
MONITORING
BREATH
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DRINKING WATER
FOOD
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
VINYL CHLORIDE
DAILY VARIATIONS
DATA COMPILATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
NEW JERSEY
NORTH CAROLINA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
VOLATILE MATTER
AROMATICS
DATA
FEDERAL REGION II
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLUIDS
GASES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
MATTER
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
USA
VARIATIONS
WATER
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)