Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Change of Urinary Trans, Trans-Muconic Acid before and after Turnaround Process in a Petrochemical Plant: Seung Hyun Kim, Ji Ung Park, Jai Dong Moon; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2008;20(4):335-342. Published online December 31, 2008; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2008.20.4.335

OBJECTIVES
This study was performed to estimate the exposure to benzene, one of the most serious health hazards, in four phases of a turnaround in a petrochemical company, and to evaluate the suitability of trans,trans-muconic acid (tt-MA) to act as a biomarker of exposure to low benzene levels.
METHODS
tt-MA was determined in 152 urine samples collected in 4 phases ('before daily work', 'after daily work', 'purge', and 'inspection' of turnaround work) from 19 exposed workers involved in turnaround work and 19 clerical workers. The ambient benzene levels were monitored simultaneously during the 'purge' process of turnaround work in the exposed group.
RESULTS
The median urinary tt-MA for the 4 phases was 0.046 mg/L, 0.082 mg/L, 0.507 mg/L, and 0.468 mg/L in the exposed group and 0.050 mg/L, 0.065 mg/L, 0.269 mg/L, and 0.331 mg/L in the clerical workers, respectively. The median urinary tt-MA for the exposed group was significantly higher than that of the clerical workers during the purge process (P<0.05). In the exposed group, median urinary tt-MA for the 'before daily work' phase was significantly lower than that of the other three phases (P<0.05). Even in the clerical workers, the urinary tt-MA level for the 'before daily work' phase was significantly lower than that of the turnaround (P<0.05). There was a very significant correlation between urinary tt-MA levels and ambient benzene levels (r(s) = 0.795, P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
The turnaround process increased the benzene exposure for all workers, even the clerical workers, in a petrochemical company handling benzene. Urinary tt-MA was found to be suitable as a biomarker for the exposure to low-level benzene.

Citations

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Estimating Benzene Exposure Level over Time and by Industry Type through a Review of Literature on Korea
Donguk Park, Sangjun Choi, Kwonchul Ha, Hyejung Jung, Chungsik Yoon, Dong-Hee Koh, Seunghun Ryu, Soogeun Kim, Dongmug Kang, Kyemook Yoo
Safety and Health at Work.2015; 6(3): 174. CrossRef
The Relationship between Exposure to Benzene and the Excretion of Urinary Trans, Trans-muconic Acid in Petrochemical Factory Turnaround Process Workers
Seung Min Lee, Jong Uk Won, Chi Nyon Kim, Jaehoon Roh
Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.2014; 24(1): 52. CrossRef

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Aplastic Anemia in a Petrochemical Plant Worker: Young Mann Baak, Yong Hyu Choi, Seong Kyu Kang, Ji Hong Kim, Kyoung Ah Kim, Young Lim, Joung Wook Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1999;11(2):287-292. Published online June 30, 1999; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1999.11.2.287

Abstract PDF: Aplastic anemia is characterized by pancytopenia with hypocellular bone marrow. Fifty percent of the cases are idiopathic and the rest are caused by various agents including drugs, chemicals, radiation and viruses. It is difficult to link specific etiologic agents, especially chemicals to the development of aplastic anemia because multiple or unknown exposures may be involved in. Benzene, a common industrial chemical and a component of gasoline, may lead progressively to pancytopenia, aplastic anemia and leukemia when exposed. A petrochemical worker with aplastic anemia was referred to our hospital to evaluate a relationship between the job history and the disease. He worked in the petrochemical plant for .21 years and was exposed to low-level benzene. There was not any other etiologic agent except benzene and this is the case report of aplastic anemia which possibly due to benzene exposure.

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Assessment of Genotoxic Hazard in Petrochemical Workers: Jai Dong Moon, Soon Phal Suh, Jung Sun Park, Jin Hyung Cho, Ki Won Ahn; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1998;10(1):53-60. Published online February 28, 1998; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1998.10.1.53

Abstract PDF

In order to evaluate the genotoxic hazard among workers potentially exposed to low level petrochemical substances, the analyses of micronuclei (MN) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in lymphocytes were performed in 46 male workers (as exposed group) and 46 nonexposed subjects (as control group). Mean frequencies of MN and SCEs (respectively, 12.9/1000 cells and 6.5/cell) in exposed group were very significantly higher than those (10.2/1000 cells and 5.4/cell) in control group. And there were also significant differences in mean frequencies of MN and SCEs adjusted for age, employment duration, smoking, and drinking between two groups. Median frequencies of MN and SCEs in exposed group were very significantly higher than those in control group. Frequencies of SCEs were higher in smokers than in non-smoker. Frequencies of MN in smokers, however, were similiar to those of non-smoker. Interaction between exposure and smoking on MN and SCEs induction was not observed. The results suggest that there is genotoxic hazard in high risk group like workers handling carcinogens in petrochemical plants and the analyses of MN and SCEs are useful biomarkers for the exposure to hazard substances even at the level below the exposure limit.

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Micronuclei assay: A potential biomonitoring protocol in occupational exposure studies
L. Palanikumar, N. Panneerselvam
Russian Journal of Genetics.2011; 47(9): 1033. CrossRef

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