Evaluation of exposure to 1-alkoxy-2-propanols and 1-(2-methoxy-1-methylethoxy)-2-propanol by the analysis of the parent compounds in urine

Floor lacquerers' inhalation and total exposure to 1-alkoxy-2-propanols and 1-(2-methoxy-1-methylethoxy)-2-propanol (DPGME) were measured. The total exposure was biomonitored by urinalysis of free unchanged 1-alkoxy-2-propanols and DPGME. The floor lacquerers' 8-h inhalation exposures to 1-methoxy-2-propanol (PGME), 1-butoxy-2-propanol (PGBE) and DPGME were 1.9 +/- 1.3 (mean S.D., n = 15), 1.0 +/- 1.4ppm (n = 11) and 0.2 +/- 0.3 ppm (n = 11), respectively. The gravity-corrected urinary excretions of PGME, PGBE and DPGME were 5.3 +/- 5.4 mu mol/l, 0.9 +/- 0.9 mu mol/l and 1.5 +/- 2.8 mu mol/l, respectively. A linear relationship was found between the gravity-corrected urinary excretion of PGME (R-2 = 0.82), PGBE (R-2 = 0.93) and DPGME (R-2 = 0.93) and their preceding 8-h inhalation exposure. The correlations between the uncorrected urinary excretions and inhalation exposures to PGME, PGBE and DPGME was also calculated and found good (R-2 = 0.82-0.95). The effect of work strain on the total exposure seemed to be more relevant in the exposure to hydrophilic PGME than in the exposure to more lipophilic PGBE. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.