Analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m-xylene in biological samples from the general population

A method for the determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene in blood and urine of people not occupationally exposed to solvents is described. The headspace technique combined with gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer detector is used. The sensitivity of recent mass spectrometers is good enough to furnish reliable results also in biological samples collected from the general population. No treatment for concentrating solvents present in the blood or urine is necessary. The main features of the method are easy preparation of biological samples, small volumes (7 ml), good repeatability and linearity in the range of interest. The limits of detection in blood were 16, 43, 22 and 52 ng/l for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m-xylene respectively. Slightly greater sensitivity was found for urine samples. The results obtained in biological samples from 25 woodworkers not occupationally exposed to BTEX (15 non-smokers and 10 smokers) are comparable to those obtained by other investigators.