Assessment of Occupational Exposure to BTEX in a Petrochemical Plant via Urinary Biomarkers

This work presents the results of first Serbian monitoring campaign performed to assess occupational exposure petrochemical industry workers benzene (B), toluene (T), ethylbenzene (E), and xylene (X), known collectively as BTEX. The following urinary biomarkers were investigated: phenol, hippuric acid, o-Cresol, p-Cresol, creatinine. BTEX compounds collected in 2014 using Casella passive samplers. Multivariate statistical analysis was put evidence correlation between measured air concentration biomarkers. While indicate an elevated presence working environment studied that surpasses national European Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL), levels remaining (TEX) parameters below OEL. high relative standard deviations (RSD) for concentrations each compound (68–161 mg m?3) point toward intensive confirmed by relevant urine biomarkers, particularly mean values which ten fourteen times higher than ones found control group (14–12 g?1 creatinine). On average, are at a risk developing cancer (6.1 × 10?3), with exceeding US EPA limits. Benzene should therefore be maintained under tight controls monitored via proper