Evaluation of exposure to 1-alkoxy-2-propanols and 1-(2-methoxy-1-methylethoxy)-2-propanol by the analysis of the parent compounds in urine

Floor lacquerers’ inhalation and total exposure to 1-alkoxy-2-propanols and 1-(2-methoxy-1-methylethoxy)-2-propanol (DPGME) were measured. The total exposure was biomonitored by urinalysis of free unchanged 1-alkoxy-2-propanols and DPGME. The floor lacquerers’ 8-h inhalation exposures to 1-methoxy-2-propanol (PGME), 1-butoxy-2-propanol (PGBE) and DPGME were 1.9 ± 1.3 (mean ± S.D., n = 15), 1.0 ± 1.4 ppm (n = 11) and 0.2 ± 0.3 ppm (n = 11), respectively. The gravity-corrected urinary excretions of PGME, PGBE and DPGME were 5.3 ± 5.4 μmol/l, 0.9 ± 0.9 μmol/l and 1.5 ± 2.8 μmol/l, respectively. A linear relationship was found between the gravity-corrected urinary excretion of PGME (R2 = 0.82), PGBE (R2 = 0.93) and DPGME (R2 = 0.93) and their preceding 8-h inhalation exposure. The correlations between the uncorrected urinary excretions and inhalation exposures to PGME, PGBE and DPGME was also calculated and found good (R2 = 0.82–0.95). The effect of work strain on the total exposure seemed to be more relevant in the exposure to hydrophilic PGME than in the exposure to more lipophilic PGBE.