KMID : 0358520080200040335
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Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2008 Volume.20 No. 4 p.335 ~ p.342
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Change of Urinary Trans, Trans-Muconic Acid before and after Turnaround Process in a Petrochemical Plant
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Kim Seung-Hyun
Park Ji-Ung Moon Jai-Dong
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Abstract
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Objectives: This study was performed to estimate the exposure to benzene, one of the most serious health hazards, in four phases of a turnaround in a petrochemical company, and to evaluate the suitability of trans,trans-muconic acid (tt-MA) to act as a biomarker of exposure to low benzene levels.
Methods: tt-MA was determined in 152 urine samples collected in 4 phases (¡¯before daily work¡¯, ¡¯after daily work¡¯, ¡¯purge¡¯, and ¡¯inspection¡¯ of turnaround work) from 19 exposed workers involved in turnaround work and 19 clerical workers. The ambient benzene levels were monitored simultaneously during the ¡¯purge¡¯ process of turnaround work in the exposed group.
Results: The median urinary tt-MA for the 4 phases was 0.046 mg/L, 0.082 mg/L, 0.507 mg/L, and 0.468 mg/L in the exposed group and 0.050 mg/L, 0.065 mg/L, 0.269 mg/L, and 0.331 mg/L in the clerical workers, respectively. The median urinary tt-MA for the exposed group was significantly higher than that of the clerical workers during the purge process (P<0.05). In the exposed group, median urinary tt-MA for the ¡¯before daily work¡¯ phase was significantly lower than that of the other three phases (P<0.05). Even in the clerical workers, the urinary tt-MA level for the ¡¯before daily work¡¯ phase was significantly lower than that of the turnaround (P<0.05). There was a very significant correlation between urinary tt-MA levels and ambient benzene levels (r(s) = 0.795, P<0.01).
conclusion: The turnaround process increased the benzene exposure for all workers, even the clerical workers, in a petrochemical company handling benzene. Urinary tt-MA was found to be suitable as a biomarker for the exposure to low-level benzene.
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KEYWORD
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Benzene, Muconic acid, Biomarker, Petrochemical, Turnaround process
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