URINARY THIODIGLYCOLIC ACID LEVELS FOR VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER-EXPOSED POLYVINYL CHLORIDE WORKERS
Resource
JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE v.43 n.11 pp.934-938
Journal
JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
Journal Volume
v.43
Journal Issue
n.11
Pages
934-938
Date Issued
2001
Date
2001
Author(s)
CHENG, TSUN-JEN
Abstract
Thiodiglycolic acid (TdGA) is the major metabolite of vinyl
chloride monomer (VCM) detected in human urine. Although
urinary TdGA has been reported to be associated with ambient
VCM exposure, the relationship between urinary TdGA and a
low level of air VCM is not clear. Questionnaires were
administered to 16 polyvinyl chloride manufacturing workers
to obtain a detailed history of occupation and lifestyle.
For each worker, personal air monitoring for VCM was
performed and a time-weighted average for VCM exposure was
calculated. The urinary TdGA levels at the end of a work
shift, and at the commencement of the next shaft, were also
assessed for each worker. Urine analysis revealed that TdGA
levels at the beginning of the next shift were higher than
those at the end of that shaft. Workers experiencing a VCM
exposure greater than 5 ppm in air revealed a urinary TdGA
level significantly greater than those experiencing a VCM
exposure of less than 5 ppm (P < 0.05). The best fit of
regression for urinary TdGA on air VCM was Y = 1.06 + 0.57X
for urine collected at the commencement of the following
work shaft, where X is the air VCM concentration and Y is
the urinary TdGA concentration (r(2) = 0.65, P < 0.01). We
conclude that the urinary TdGA level is best detected at the
commencement of the next shift and that it can be used as
an exposure marker for polyvinyl chloride workers when the
air VCM level to which they are exposed is greater than 5
ppm.
Type
journal article