• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.939-946
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• 2004

The relationships between subjective symptoms of toluene exposed workers and concentration of their urinary excretion of hippuric acid were investigated. The exposed groups of 146 workers exposed to toluene and the control groups of 47 workers have never been exposed to toluene in Ulsan area were selected and studied. Hippuric acid was measured by HPLC, and counts of blood cells and liver function test were also performed. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was 0.322($\pm$0.267) g/L, while that of the exposed group was 1.260($\pm$0.395) g/L. As the concentration of hippuric acid had statistical proximity in $0.1\%$ level, WBC, GOT, and GPT didn't have any proximity(P>0.05). The exposed group showed lower level of leucocyte counts 6522.40(1710.3) than the control group 6891.50(1483.7). The exposed group showed higher level of GOT(25.75), GPT(27.09) than GOT(23.75), GPT(25.21) of the control group. Dried skin was the highest complained symptom of toluene exposed workers, the second strained eye, the third poor auditory function, and the fourth was headache.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.197-198
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• 1993

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.310-312
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• 1999

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.80-87
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• 1998

To evaluate the effects on health by exposure to low dose organic solvents, the author analyzed the air concentration of mixed organic solvents (toluene, xylene, butylacetate) at worker's breathing zone during painting, some laboratory findings of blood (WBC, RBC, Hb, Hct, SGOT, SGPT, TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE) and urine (hippuric acid, urinary protein, urobilinogen), surveyed the subjective symptoms those were obtained from 35 male workers exposed to mixed organic solvents, and 25 male workers not exposed to organic solvents who worked in car repair workshops in Taejon area from December 1, 1995, to February 29, 1996. The results were as follows: 1. The mean concentration of urinary hippuric acid of car painting worker group (organic solvent exposure group) was 0.76$\pm$ 0.21 g/l, which is significantly higher than that of non-exposed group. 2. In hematologic findings, the values of RBC, TC, LDL-C, IgG and IgE in the exposure group were significantly lower than those of the nonexposed group, but SGOT and SGPT in the exposure group were significantly higher than those of the non-exposed group. 3. Urinary hippuric acid levels showed positively correlated with toluene, urobilinogen and HDL-C levels, but those were negatively correlated with RBC, LDL-C, IgM levels. 4. Rates of the subjective symptoms such as "dizziness", "appetite loss", "weight loss", "palpitation", "chest tightness", "sore throat and eye discomfort", "tingling sense and acrodynia", "illusion or hallucination" and "decreaased motor power" were significantly higher in the exposure group than those of the non-exposed group.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.81-91
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• 2000

Residents who live near petrochemical industrial areas are exposed to a variety of petrochemicals, including benzene or benzene-containing liquids. It is a serious concern because some VOCs are carcinogens naturally present in petroleum and gasoline. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to VOCs, measured by personal/indoor/outdoor air sampling, and to estimate the relationship between the air samples and biological monitoring data. Through biological monitoring, we investigated VOCs in blood and s-phenylmercapturic acid (s-PMA) , minor urinary metabolites of benzene. The external benzene exposure of subjects was measured using passive dosimeters and urinary s-PMA and blood-benzene were determined by GC/MS. More than 80% of subjects were detected for m-xylene, ethylbenzene, and toluene in blood samples and not detected at all for chloroform, 1 , 1 , 1 -trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene. The mean concentration of benzene in the breathing zone of residents was 6.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$, personal, indoor and outdoor concentrations were strongly correlated to each other. s-PMA detected in all subject samples was affected by personal exposure (p< 0.05) and the level was different by age (p< 0.01). Blood benzene was not affected by external benzene during these periods .

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.88-96
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to clarify effects of long term, low-level monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure (MAHs) such as styrene, toluene and xylene on physiological levels of epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NEP) and these hormones influences diagnosis indices of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: Blood pressure and serum biochemical parameters were measured using digital sphygmomanometer and autochemical analyzer. EP and NEP were analyzed by using ELISA kit and exposure level of MAHs was measured by NIOSH method. Results: The differences of general characteristics such as age, smoking and drinking habits in both groups were not significantly different except working hours per day. In exposed workers, exposure levels of MAHs showed very low concentrations. Serum HDL-cholesterol concentration was significantly higher in exposed group, but concentration of NEP was significantly higher in control group. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the diagnosis indices of MetS, EP was WC (OR=0.970), NEP was blood pressure (OR=1.002) and MAHs exposure were significantly associated with HDL-cholesterol (OR=0.257), fasting glucose (OR=3.028) and MetS (OR=0.372). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the chronic exposure of low level MAHs maycontribute to glucose metabolism and induction of MetS. And also, changes of EP and NEP levels by exposure of MAHs affect blood pressure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.187-191
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• 2003

In this study, biomonitoring methods were developed to measure BTEXs exposure level in the air, metabolites of benzene and toluene in human urine, individual susceptibility markers in human blood for evaluation of the health effects about environmental pollution. We have also performed a small-scaled molecular epidemiology study on residents in Chuncheon and workers in workplace for these method applications. The workers in workplace were surveyed as study areas, and the residents in Chuncheon which is in the suburban area were surveyed as comparative areas in this study. Actually, 31 workers in as target group and 33 residences in as control group this epidemiological study. The results obtained from this study were as follows: 1. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen, it's median concentrations were 0.00024∼0.02057ppm at suburban area and 0.002∼00.654ppm at work place, These benzene concentrations were not exceed the OSHA(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) threshold benzene level of 1ppm in the states. 2. Metabolites product of benzene(t,t-Muconic Acid) and toluene(Hippuric Acid) were not significant both in suburban and workplace area. The median concentration of t,t-MA and HA were 0.0122, 1.44277g/g creatinine, respectively. 3. In the case of individual susceptibility markers as CYPlAl, 41.8% of them has homozygous wild type(W) and who has heterozygous variant type(H) was 35.4% and 22.8% of homozygous variant type(M) genetic type. In the case of CYP2E1, 62.82% of them has homozygous wild type(D) type, 34.62% of each has heterozygous variant type (DC) and 2.56% of them has homozygous variant type (CC). Who doesn't have GSTM1 gene was 46.25% and who has GSTM1 gene was 53.75％. Who doesn't have GSTT1 gene was 40.0％ in study groups and who has GSTT1 gene was 60.0%. Who has W genetic type, which is homozygous wild type of GSTP1, was 69.18% and H genetic type, which is heterozygous variant type was 28.4%. M genetic type which is homozygous variant type was 2.4%. 4. Concentration differences of metabolites such as t,t-MA and HA in urine, which is generated by individual susceptibility marker of GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1 gene of Phase I and CYP1A1, CYP2E1 gene of Phase II, was examined. As a result, GSTP1 and GSTM1 indicate slight differences depend on the amount of metabolites in urine, it was not statistically significant.