A Study on the Concentration of Hippuric Acid in Urine of Workers Exposed to Toluene

톨루엔에 폭로된 근로자의 뇨중 마뇨산량에 관한 연구

The objective of this study is to examine the correlation between the toluene concentration in the work environment of organic solvents and the concentration of hippuric acid in urine of workers exposed toluene, and to acquire the fundamental materials of workers' health care and to assist the assessment of the biological permisible exposure limit. The control groups are 72 workers who had never been exposed to toluene and the case groups are 101 workers who had been exposed to toluene. This study was conducted to examine the correlation between the concentration of toluene in work environment and workers' hippuric acid concentration, to investigate the complaint difference of subjective symptoms by means of questionaire, between the case groups and control groups. The results and conclusions are as fellows: 1) The highest mean concentration of toluene in the air is $544.13{\pm}7.75ppm$ in the Printing Department of mixing organic solvents. The concentrations of the others are $463.27{\pm}5.24ppm$ in Department of mixture for organic solvents, and $393.56{\pm}45.69ppm$ in the Printing Department(1), and $248.38{\pm}45.16ppm$ in the Printing Department(2), and $159.38{\pm}18.51ppm$ in the Printing Department(3). 2) The highest mean concentration of hippuric acid in urine is $6034.84{\pm}1298.35mg/l$ in the Printing Department with mixing organic solvents. The concentrations of the others are $4798.44{\pm}784.53mg/l$ in Department of mixture of organic solvents, and $2883.06{\pm}701.90mg/l$ in the Printing Department(1), and $1449.98{\pm}905.19mg/l$ in the Printing Department(2), and $598.52{\pm}299.43mg/l$ in the Printing Department(3). 3) As the toluene concentration in the work environment becomes higher, the concentration of hippuric acid in urine also becomes higher. It is found that the coefficient of correlation between toluene concentration and the concentration of hippuric acid are positive (r=0.868, Y=7.18X+349.57) 4) It is found that the case groups complain of much more subjective symptoms than the control groups.

유기용제 사업장의 그라비아 인쇄부에 근무하는 근로자 101명과 유기용제에 노출되지 않은 72명을 선택하여 뇨중 마뇨산량과 사업장의 공기중 톨루엔 농도를 측정하여 상관성을 구하였으며 설문조사를 통한 자각증상 호소율을 조사하여 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 1) 작업부서별 공기중 톨루엔 농도는 유기용제를 혼합하면서 인쇄하는 부서에서 평균 $544.13{\pm}7.75ppm$으로 가장 높았으며 유기용제 혼합부서에서 $463.27{\pm}5.24ppm$ 인쇄 (1)부서 에서 $393.56{\pm}45.69ppm$ 인쇄 (2)부서에서 $248.38{\pm}45.16ppm$ 인쇄(3)부서 $159.38{\pm}18.51ppm$이었다. 2) 작업부서별 뇨중 마뇨산량은 유기용제를 혼합하면서 인쇄하는 부서의 근로자에서 평균 $6034.84{\pm}1298.35mg/l$로 가장 높았으며 유기용제 혼합부서의 근로자에서 $4798.44{\pm}784.53mg/l$ 인쇄(1)부서의 근로자에서 $2883.06{\pm}701.90mg/l$ 인쇄(2)부서 의 근로자에서 $1449.98{\pm}905.19mg/l$ 인쇄(3)부서의 근로자에서 $598.52{\pm}299.43mg/l$였다. 3) 작업 장 공기중 톨루엔 농도와 마뇨산량과의 상관계수는 r=0.868(p<0.01)으로 정상관 관계를 나타냈다 (Y=7,18X+349.57) 4) 실험군이 대조군보다 더 많은 자각증상을 호소하였다.