Biological monitoring of workers exposed to low levels of 2-butoxyethanol

Objectives: (1) To assess the value of urinary butoxyacetic acid (BAA) measurement for the monitoring of workers exposed to low concentration of 2-butoxyethanol (BE); (2) to evaluate the in vivo effect of low occupational BE exposure on the erythrocyte lineage; and (3) to test the possible influence of genetic polymorphism for cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP 2E1) on urinary BAA excretion rate. Methods: Thirty-one male workers exposed to BE in a beverage package production plant were examined according to their external (BE) and internal (BAA) solvent exposure. The effect of this exposure on erythrocyte lineage red blood cell numeration (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Htc), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), haptoglobin (Hp), reticulocyte numeration (Ret) and osmotic resistance (OR)], hepatic aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), alanine aminotransferase (GPT)] and renal plasmatic creatinine, urinary retinol binding protein (RBP)] parameters was also investigated. DNA purified from whole blood was used for CYP 2E1 genotyping. Results: Average airborne concentration of BE was 2.91 mg/m³ (0.59 ppm) with a standard deviation of 1.30 mg/m³ (0.27 ppm). There was a relatively good correlation between external and internal exposure estimated by measuring BAA in post-shift urine samples (average 10.4 mg/g creatinine; r=0.55;P=0.0012). Compared with a matched control group (n=21) exposed workers had a statistically significant decrease (3.3%;P=0.03) in Hct while MCHC was increased (2.1%;P=0.02). No significant difference was observed either in other erythroid parameters or in hepatic and renal biomarkers. One exposed individual exhibited a mutant allele with increased cytochrome P450 oxidative activity which coincided with a very low urinary BAA excretion. Conclusions: Single determination of BAA in post-shift urine samples can be used to assess exposure to low levels of BE. A slight but significant effect on erythroid parameters suggesting membrane damage was observed in exposed workers. The influence of the genetic polymorphism for CYP 2E1 deserves further investigation for the interpretation of urinary BAA measurements. Received: 6 December 1996 / Accepted: 21 February 1997