| Abstrakt: |
Background and Objective: The determination of the compounds and some metabolites in exhaled air is a practical method for biological monitoring, especially when the workplace air monitoring is not sufficient to determine the exposure level. Regarding this, the aim of the present study was to determine the relationship of tetrachlorethylene concentration in exhaled air with personal exposure levels among the dry cleaning workers. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in 2017. For the purpose of the study, the samples of exhaled air and personal exposure of 12 workers were collected. Additionally, the ambient air samples of dry cleaning workplace were simultaneously studied. The measurement of tetrachlorethylene in the exhaled air was performed using gas chromatograph equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) through the incorporation of 1003 and 3704 NIOSH methods and optimization of the analysis parameters. Results: According to the results, the personal exposure levels were above the recommended national occupational exposure limits. Furthermore, tetrachlorethylene concentration in the exhaled air of the workers was higher than the biological exposure index. There was a significant relationship between the concentration of tetrachlorethylene in exhaled air and personal exposure levels (r=0.66, P=0.046). Additionally, the concentration of ambient air showed a significant relationship with exhaled air concentration (r=0.59, P=0.003) and personal exposure levels (r=0.91, P<0.001). Conclusion: As the findings indicated, the measurement of tetrachlorethylene in the exhaled air was a valid non-invasive biomarker for the assessment of occupational exposure in the dry cleanings. The measurement of tetrachlorethylene concentration in exhaled air can be accomplished with high sensitivity through the optimization of analytical conditions in GC-FID system and integration of 1003 and 3704 NIOSH methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
