Introduction. Benzene, a know carcinogen to humans, is an ubiquitous pollutant of working and living environments. Despite several studies carried out, biological monitoring of benzene exposure is still representing a challenge for occupational and environmental health: progressively lower exposures, interferences of diet, smoking habit, genetic polymorphism of metabolic enzymes, and analytical difficulties, contribute to feeding the debate on which it is the best biomarker. In this study we compare the capability of urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) and benzene (BEN-U). Methods. Investigation was carried out on 71 Polish refinery workers and 97 controls, matched for gender, age and smoking habit. Personal exposure to airborne benzene was assessed only in refinery workers. A urine spot sample was collected at the end of shift. SPMA and BEN-U were measured by LC/MS and GC/MS, respectively. Results. Median personal exposure to benzene in refinery workers during the workshift was 0.19 (from 0.02 to 6.13) mg/m3. End-shift SPMA and BEN-U were 0.91 µg/L and 550 ng/L in exposed workers and 0.70 µg/L and 320 ng/L in controls. Significant differences (p<0.05) between groups for BEN-U, but not for SPMA were found. Correlations between biomarkers and airborne benzene were significant, but weak (Pearson’s r 0.27 and 0.33). Smoking habit strongly influenced the biomarkers with levels two-, five-fold higher in smokers compared to non-smokers. Urinary cotinine was correlated with both SPMA and BEN-U, with r=0.625 and 0.576. SPMA and BEN-U were correlated with r = 0.727. Multiple linear regression models confirm the strong effect of smoking habit and the marginal effect of personal exposure in explaining the variability of both SPMA and BEN-U. Discussion. SPMA and BEN-U showed similar features as biomarkers of benzene exposure. Even with exposures in the range of those experienced in refinery plant, smoking habit plays a major role in determining the internal dose of benzene.
S-phenylmercapturic acid vs. urinary benzene as biomarkers of exposure to benzene / S. Fustinoni, R. Mercadante, F. Prestianni, D. Consonni, E. Grzybowska, L. Bisceglia, L. Campo, L. Kapka, E. Siwinska, P.A. Bertazzi, D. Mielzynska - In: Occupational health : a basic right at work : an asset to society[s.l] : null, 2009. - pp. 90 (( Intervento presentato al 29. convegno International Congress on Occupational Health (ICOH) tenutosi a Cape Town (South Africa) nel 2009.
S-phenylmercapturic acid vs. urinary benzene as biomarkers of exposure to benzene
S. FustinoniPrimo
;R. MercadanteSecondo
;L. Campo;P.A. BertazziPenultimo
;
2009
Abstract
Introduction. Benzene, a know carcinogen to humans, is an ubiquitous pollutant of working and living environments. Despite several studies carried out, biological monitoring of benzene exposure is still representing a challenge for occupational and environmental health: progressively lower exposures, interferences of diet, smoking habit, genetic polymorphism of metabolic enzymes, and analytical difficulties, contribute to feeding the debate on which it is the best biomarker. In this study we compare the capability of urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) and benzene (BEN-U). Methods. Investigation was carried out on 71 Polish refinery workers and 97 controls, matched for gender, age and smoking habit. Personal exposure to airborne benzene was assessed only in refinery workers. A urine spot sample was collected at the end of shift. SPMA and BEN-U were measured by LC/MS and GC/MS, respectively. Results. Median personal exposure to benzene in refinery workers during the workshift was 0.19 (from 0.02 to 6.13) mg/m3. End-shift SPMA and BEN-U were 0.91 µg/L and 550 ng/L in exposed workers and 0.70 µg/L and 320 ng/L in controls. Significant differences (p<0.05) between groups for BEN-U, but not for SPMA were found. Correlations between biomarkers and airborne benzene were significant, but weak (Pearson’s r 0.27 and 0.33). Smoking habit strongly influenced the biomarkers with levels two-, five-fold higher in smokers compared to non-smokers. Urinary cotinine was correlated with both SPMA and BEN-U, with r=0.625 and 0.576. SPMA and BEN-U were correlated with r = 0.727. Multiple linear regression models confirm the strong effect of smoking habit and the marginal effect of personal exposure in explaining the variability of both SPMA and BEN-U. Discussion. SPMA and BEN-U showed similar features as biomarkers of benzene exposure. Even with exposures in the range of those experienced in refinery plant, smoking habit plays a major role in determining the internal dose of benzene.
Pubblicazioni consigliate
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
