Validation of urinary 1,2-dichloropropane concentration as a biological exposure index for workers exposed to 1,2-dichloropropane

• Published in: Annals of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. e24 - 7
• Main Authors: Park, Chung-Soo, Kim, Hyun-Soo, Ahn, Yeon-Soon, Ahn, Jung-Ho, Jeong, Kyoung Sook
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine 07.07.2020; 대한직업환경의학회
• Subjects: 예방의학; Urinary 1,2-dichloropropane; 1,2-dichloropropane; Biological monitoring
• ISSN: 2052-4374; 2052-4374
• DOI: 10.35371/aoem.2020.32.e24

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified 1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP) as a human carcinogen in 2016. It is necessary to establish a health monitoring system for workers exposed to 1,2-DCP. We investigated the correlation between 1,2-DCP concentration in air and urine to determine whether it is appropriate to measure 1,2-DCP in urine as a biological exposure index (BEI). Twenty-seven workers from 3 manufacturing industries handling 1,2-DCP participated in this study. Airborne 1,2-DCP was collected by personal air. Urine samples were collected at the end of work and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Correlation analysis and simple regression analysis were performed to investigate the relationship between 1,2-DCP concentration in urine and air. Pearson correlation coefficients between total 1,2-DCP in air and urine (uncorrected, creatinine-corrected) were 0.720 and 0.819, respectively. For urine samples analyzed within 2 weeks, the Spearman's rho of 1,2-DCP concentration in urine (uncorrected and creatinine-corrected) was 0.906 and 0.836, respectively. Simple regression analysis of 1,2-DCP in air and urinary 1,2-DCP concentrations within 2 weeks, which showed the highest correlation, revealed that the coefficient of determination of 1,2-DCP concentration in urine (uncorrected and creatinine-corrected) was 0.801 and 0.784, respectively. As a BEI for workers exposed to 1,2-DCP, urinary 1,2-DCP without creatinine correction better reflects the exposure levels of 1,2-DCP in air.