Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology

The Korean Society of Environmental Health and Toxicology (환경독성보건학회)
권호 표지

A Correlation Study between the Environmental, Personal Exposures and Biomarkers for Volatile Organic Compounds

대기 중 휘발성유기오염물질의 환경, 개인 및 인체 노출의 상관성 연구

  • Jo, Seong-Joon (Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public, Health Environmental Health Science) ;
  • Shin, Dong-Chun (Institute for Envrionmtal Research Yonsei(IERY), Yonsei University) ;
  • Chung, Yong (Institute for Envrionmtal Research Yonsei(IERY), Yonsei University) ;
  • Breysse, Patrick N. (Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public, Health Environmental Health Science)
  • 조성준 (죤스홉킨스 대학교) ;
  • 신동천 (연세대학교 환경공해연구소) ;
  • 정용 (연세대학교 환경공해연구소) ;
  • Published : 2002.09.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important public health problem throughout the world. Many important questions remain to be addressed in assessing exposure to these compounds. Because they are ubiquitous and highly volatile, special techniques must be applied in the analytical determination of VOCs. Personal exposure measurements are needed to evaluate the relationship between microenvironmental concentrations and actual exposures. It is also important to investigate exposure frequency, duration, and intensity, as well as personal exposure characteristics. In addition to air monitoring, biological monitoring may contribute significantly to risk assessment by allowing estimation of absorbed doses, rather than just the external exposure concentrations, which are evaluated by environmental and personal monitoring. This study was conducted to establish the analytic procedure of VOCs in air, blood, urine and exhaled breath and to evaluate the relationships among these environmental media. The subjects of this study were selected because they are occupationally exposed to high levels of VOCs. Environmental, personal, blood, urine and exhalation samples were collected. Purge ＆ trap, thermal desorber, gas chromatography and mass selective detector were used to analyze the collected samples. Analytical procedures were validated with the“break through test”, 'quot;recovery test for storage and transportation”,“method detection limit test”and“inter-laboratory QA/QC study”. Assessment of halogenated compounds indicted that they were significantly correlated to each other (p value < 0.01). In a similar manner, aromatic compounds were also correlated, except in urine sample. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relationships between personal exposures and environmental concentrations. These relationships for aromatic and halogenated are as follows: Halogen $s_{personal}$ = 3.875+0.068Halogen $s_{environmet}$, ($R^2$= .930) Aromatic $s_{personal}$ = 34217.757-31.266Aromatic $s_{environmet}$, ($R^2$= .821) Multiple regression was used to evaluate the relationship between exposures and various exposure deter-minants including, gender, duration of employment, and smoking history. The results of the regression model-ins for halogens in blood and aromatics in urine are as follows: Halogen $s_{blood}$ = 8.181+0.246Halogen $s_{personal}$+3.975Gender ($R^2$= .925), Aromatic $s_{urine}$ = 249.565+0.135Aromatic $s_{personal}$ -5.651 D.S ($R^2$ = .735), In conclusion, we have established analytic procedures for VOC measurement in biological and environmental samples and have presented data demonstrating relationships between VOCs levels in biological media and environmental samples. Abbreviation GC/MS, Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer; VOCs, Volatile Organic Compounds; OVM, Organic Vapor Monitor; TO, Toxic Organicsapor Monitor; TO, Toxic Organics.

Keywords

References

  1. 조성준, 신동천, 정 용, 이덕회 및 Breysse PN. VOCs의 위해성 평가를 위한 노출분석 방법 연구, 한국환경독성학회지 2002; 17(2): 147-160
  2. 3M. Instruction for use organic vapor monitors # 3520/ 3530. 3M occupational health and environmental safety division. Paul St. MN, 1991
  3. Ashley DL and Prah JD. Time dependence of blood concentrations during and after exposure to a mixture of volatile organic compounds. Archives of Environmental Health 1997; 32 (l) : 26-33
  4. Ashley DL, Bonin MA, Cardinali FL, McCraw JM, Holler JS, Needham LL, and Patterson DG. Determing volatile organic compounds in human blood from a large sample population by using purge and trap gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 1992; 64: 1021-1029 https://doi.org/10.1021/ac00033a011
  5. Cullis CF and Hirschler MM. Man's emission of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into the atmospher. Atmos Environ 1989; 23 : 11 95-1203 https://doi.org/10.1016/0004-6981(89)90146-7
  6. EPA. Compendium of methods for the determination of toxic organic compounds in ambient air, Second Edition, Compendium method TO-17, determination of volatile organic compounds in ambient air using active sampling onto sorbent tubes: Center for environmental research information office of research and development: US EPA: Cincinnati OH, 1997
  7. EPA. Potentia atmospheric carcinogens-phase I. Identification and classification. US EPA. Research triangle park. NC, 1980
  8. Kawai T, Yasugi T and Mizunuma K. Comparative evaluation of urinalysis and blood analysis as means of detecting exposure to organic solutions at low concentration. International Archives Occupational and Environmental Health 1992; 223-232
  9. Ong CN, Shi CY, Chia SE, Chua SC. Ong HY, Lee BL, Ng TP, and Teramoto K. Biological monitoring of exposure to low concentrations of styrene. Americal Journal of Industrial Medicine 1994; 25: 719-730 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700250511
  10. Patrick DR. Toxic air pollution handbook. Van Noatranb Reinhold. NC, 1994
  11. Stock TH, Morandi MT and Afshar M. Modified diffusion sampler for measuring 24-hour VOC concentration in personal, indoor and community air. Indoor Air 93; Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Indoor Air and Climate, 1996
  12. Tardif R, Lapare S, Plaa GL and Brodeur J. Effect of simultaneous exposure to toluene and xylene on their respective biological exposure indices in humans. Int Arch Occup Envrion Health 1991; 63 : 279-284 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386378
  13. Volz A, Ehhalt DH and Derwent RG. Measurement of 14CO:A method for determining OH concentrations in the troposphere. J Geophys Res 1981; 86 : 5163-5171 https://doi.org/10.1029/JC086iC06p05163
  14. Wallace LA, Pellizzari E, Hartwell T, Rosenzweg M, Erickson M, Sparacino C and Zelon H. Personal exposure to volatile organic compounds: i. direct measurements in breathing-zone air, drinking water, food and exhaled breath. Environmetal Research 1984; 35: 293-319 https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-9351(84)90137-3
  15. Wallace LA. VOCs and the environmental and public health -exposure: Blomen H.J.Th. and Burn J.: (Edi). Chemistry and analysis of volatile organic compounds in the environment: Chapter 1. London. Blackie Academic & Progessional. 1993
  16. Wallace LA, Pellizzari ED, Hartwell TO, Sparacino C. Whitmore R, Sheldon L, Zelon H and Perritt R. The TEAM Study: personal exposure to toxic substances in air, drinking water, and breath of 400 residents of New Jersey, North Carolina, and North Dakota. Environmental Research 1987; 43: 290-307 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(87)80030-0
  17. Wallace LA, Pellizzari ED, Hartwell TD, Davis V, Michael C, and Whitmore. The influence of personal activities on exposure to volatile organic compounds. Environmental Research 1989; 50: 37-55 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(89)80047-7
  18. Whitaker D, Fortmann RC and Lindstrom AB. Development and testing of a whole-air sampler for measurement of personal exposure to volatile organic compounds. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology 1995; 5 (I) : 89-100
  19. Zimmerman PR. Procedures for conducting hydrocarbon emission inventories of biogenic sources and some results of recent investigation. Paper Presented at the 1977. Environmental Protection Agency Emission Inventory /Factor Workshop. Raleigh. NC, 1977