HALOTHANE BIOTRANSFORMATION IN ANESTHETISTS

Serum bromide levels were measured in 115 anesthetists by use of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Bromide levels peaked at 184 .+-. 21 .mu.M in anesthetists regularly exposed to halothane (n = 20), at 58 .+-. 4 .mu.M in anesthetists sporadically exposed to halothane (n = 71) and at 46 .+-. 3 .mu.M in nonexposed anesthetists (n = 24). Kinetic studies were carried out in 5 other anesthetists after 10 days of exposure to halothane. The average daily halothane concentration was 19.2 .+-. 3.2 ppm; duration of exposure was 3.8 .+-. 0.2 h/day. Mean serum bromide level increased frm from 40 .+-. 4 .mu.M before exposure to 220 .+-. 36 .mu.M on the last day of exposure. Serum bromide half-life was 14 .+-. 1.7 days. The study demonstrates that anesthetists debrominate halothane in a dose-related fashion. Serum bromide levels achieved, however, were far below those reported to result in clinical bromism.