1,1,1-Trichloroethane (methyl chloroform) in urine as biological index of exposure

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Am. J. Ind. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700130203· OSTI ID:6991598

Imbriani, M; Ghittori, S; Pezzagno, G; Huang, J; Capodaglio, E

Fifteen human volunteers were exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane (methyl chloroform) vapor at 72-495 mg/m3 for a period of 2 to 4 hours at rest (ten cases) and during light physical exercise (five cases). Subsequently 60 workers occupationally exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane in a refrigerator manufacturing plant were studied (median value: 178 mg/m3; geometrical standard deviation: 2.19 mg/m3). As expected, the relative uptake (R) of 1,1,1-trichloroethane decreased in the course of exposure at rest (R = 0.44 after 20 minutes of exposure; R = 0.26 after 240 minutes of exposure). Both in the experimentally exposed subjects and in the occupationally exposed workers, the urinary concentration of 1,1,1-trichloroethane showed a linear relationship to the corresponding environmental time-weighted average concentration. The correlation coefficients (r) were 0.95 in occupationally exposed subjects and more than 0.90 in experimentally exposed groups. A linear equation also existed between urinary concentration and amount of 1,1,1-trichloroethane absorbed (r = 0.88). The findings indicate that the urinary concentration of 1,1,1-trichloroethane can be used as an appropriate biological exposure indicator. In occupationally exposed subjects performing moderate work, the urinary 1,1,1-trichloroethane concentration corresponding to the time-weighted average of the threshold limit value was found to be 860 micrograms/L and its 95% lower confidence limit (biological threshold) 805 micrograms/L.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Pavia (Italy)
• OSTI ID: 6991598
• Journal Information: Am. J. Ind. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Ind. Med.; (United States) Vol. 13:2; ISSN AJIMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY FLUIDS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
EXERCISE
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
METABOLISM
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
UPTAKE
URINE
WASTES