EXPOSURE TO POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND EXCRETION OF URINARY 3-HYDROXYBENZO[A]PYRENE: ASSESSMENT OF AN APPROPRIATE SAMPLING TIME

Biomonitoring of workers was carried out in seven workplaces—two aluminium plants, an electrometallurgy plant, two carbon brake disk factories, a creosoting workshop, and an artificial target factory—to assess exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). At least all the 48 h voided urine samples were collected, the first urine before the preshift at the beginning of the week and the last one after the preshift of the third day. The 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3-OHBaP) and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPy) in each urine sample were then analyzed separately by methods developed by INRS. Concentration profiles were determined. They indicate a considerable lag between the maximum excretion of the two metabolites. Including the previously published data obtained with workers exposed to PAHs, this varies from 3 to 24 h (mean lag = 15 h, n = 42). In order to determine the most appropriate sampling time for 3-OHBaP, the time of the 3-OHBaP maximum concentration is compared with the preshift.