Reference Values of Urinary Transtransmuconic Ac

Authors: C Aprea G Sciarra N Bozzi M Pagliantini A Perico P Bavazzano A Leandri M Carrieri M L Scapellato M Bettinelli G B Bartolucci

Publish Date: 2008/01/23

Volume: 55, Issue: 2, Pages: 329-340

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Abstract

This article reports the results of a study conducted in the framework of the scientific activities of the Italian Society for Reference Values aimed at defining reference values of urinary transtransmuconic acid ttMA in the general population not occupationally exposed to benzene ttMA concentrations detected in 376 subjects of the resident population in three areas of Italy two in central Florence and southern Tuscany and one in northern Italy Padua by three laboratories compared by repeated interlaboratory controls showed an interval of 144–2250 μg/L 5th–95th percentile and a geometric mean of 525 μg/L The concentrations measured were influenced by tobacco smoking in a statistically significant way Geometric mean concentrations were 448 μg/L and 761 μg/Ll in nonsmokers 264 subjects and smokers 112 subjects respectively In the nonsmoking population a significant influence of gender was found when concentrations were corrected for urinary creatinine geometric mean concentrations being 367 μg/g creatinine in males 128 subjects and 447 μg/g creatinine in females 136 subjects The place of residence of subjects did not seem to influence urinary excretion of the metabolite although personal inhalation exposure to benzene over a 24h period showed slightly higher concentrations in Padua and Florence geometric means of 65 μg/m3 and 66 μg/m3 respectively than in southern Tuscany geometric mean of 39 μg/m3 Concentration of ttMA in urine samples collected at the end of personal air sampling showed little relationship to personal inhalation exposure to benzene confirming the importance of other factors in determining excretion of ttMA when concentrations in personal air samples are very low

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