Summary
Head space gas chromatography (GC) was applied to measure methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) in urine from 62 MEK-exposed male workers, whose individual intensity of exposure to MEK was monitored utilizing the carbon felt dosimeter. The urinary MEK level increased rapidly to reach a plateau in the first quarter of the daily 8-h work, while very little MEK was detected in the preshift urine. When the MEK levels in the urine at the end of the shift were compared with the afternoon MEK-TWA values, the uncorrected MEK in urine correlated best with MEK in air (r=0.774, n=62), while correction for creatinine gave a comparable result and the correlation was poorer when corrected for a specific gravity of urine or for the lapse of time after preceding passage of urine. Balance of MEK absorption via inhalation and MEK excretion into urine revealed that only 0.1% of MEK absorbed will be excreted unchanged into urine. Wider application of head space GC is discussed for the analysis of unmetabolized solvents in urine.
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Miyasaka, M., Kumai, M., Koizumi, A. et al. Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to methyl ethyl ketone by means of urinalysis for methyl ethyl ketone itself. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 50, 131–137 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378075
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378075