Quantitative relationship between atmospheric phenol vapour and phenol in the urine of workers in Bakelite factories.

Ohtsuji, H., and Ikeda, M. (1972). Brit. J. industr. Med., 29, 70-73. Quantitative relationship between atmospheric phenol vapour and phenol in the urine of workers in Bakelite factories. A survey in Bakelite factories revealed that the urinary level of total phenol, free plus conjugated, increased in proportion to the phenol concentration to which the subject was exposed in his working environment. This indicates that analysis of urine for phenol is valuable for the monitoring of exposure to phenol in air. The results also suggest that the human lung takes up phenol very efficiently. The increase in urinary phenol was entirely attributable to conjugated phenol; regardless of exposure, no significant change was observed in free phenol concentration. Ethereal sulphate or ethereal glucuronide had poor validity as an index of exposure.