DETERMINATION OF STYRENE IN THE URINE OF WORKERS MANUFACTURING POLYSTYRENE PLASTICS

Abstract

Styrene exposure was monitored in humans by following the urinary excretion of unmodified styrene. With values of styrene in the work environment ranging from 16 to 61 mg m ⁻³ , urinary concentrations of styrene (with two exceptions that were negative) ranged from 0.7 to 4.1 μg l ⁻¹ . No styrene was found in control urine. Urinary mutagenic activity of the same samples was measured using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 1538 and TA 100, with and without metabolic activation. No increase of mutagenic activity was observed over controls. Styrene level in the urine, and not urinary mutagenic activity, is an index of exposure to styrene in the workplace.