ABSTRACT
Paints are composed of an extensive variety of hazardous substances, such as organic solvents and heavy metals. Biomonitoring is an essential tool for assessing the risk to occupational health. Thus, this study analyzed the levels of biomarkers of exposure for toluene, xylene, styrene, ethylbenzene, and lead, as well as the oxidative stress biomarker alterations in painters of an industry. Lipid peroxidation biomarker (MDA), delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D), nonprotein thyol groups, superoxide dismutase and catalase (CAT) were analyzed in exposed and nonexposed subjects. We estimated which of the paint constituents have the greatest influence on the changes in the biomarkers of oxidative stress in this case of co-exposure. The results demonstrated that despite the fact that all the biomarkers of exposure were below the biological exposure limits, the MDA levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were increased, while nonprotein thyol groups and ALA-D levels were decreased in painters when compared with nonexposed subjects. After statistic test, toluene could be suggested as the principal factor responsible for increased lipid peroxidation and inhibition of ALA-D enzyme; however, further studies on the inhibition of ALA-D enzyme by toluene are necessary.
Subject(s)
Occupational Exposure/analysis , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Paint/toxicity , Xenobiotics/toxicity , Adult , Air Pollutants, Occupational/toxicity , Air Pollutants, Occupational/urine , Benzene Derivatives/toxicity , Benzene Derivatives/urine , Biomarkers/blood , Biomarkers/urine , Catalase/blood , Creatine/urine , Humans , Lead/toxicity , Lead/urine , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Occupational Health , Porphobilinogen Synthase/blood , Risk Assessment , Styrene/toxicity , Styrene/urine , Superoxide Dismutase/blood , Toluene/toxicity , Toluene/urine , Xenobiotics/urine , Xylenes/toxicity , Xylenes/urineABSTRACT
A simple method for benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) quantitative analyses in human urine was developed, using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection in the single ion monitoring mode. The developed method is solventless, non-invasive, requires small volume of sample (1 ml), shows high selectivity, sensitivity, repeatability, and linearity (correlation coefficients >0.998), providing a useful alternative to assess human exposure to BTX compounds due to occupational reasons or eventual exposure to organic solvents. Detection limit varies from 0.28 to 0.5 ppb (v/v).