Determination of arsenic in urine by atomic absorption spectrophotometry for biological monitoring of occupational exposure to arsenic

An atomic absorption spectrophotometric (AAS) method was successfully applied to analysis of urine for arsenic (As) as a measure of biological monitoring of occupational exposure to As in Vietnam. The application of the method to urine samples from 75 non-exposed control urbanites (after 2-day abstinence from sea foods) gave a reference level of 62.4±11.6 μg/l (as mean±S.D.), from which the upper limit of the normal value (74 μg/l as mean±1S.D.) and the acceptable limit (100 μg/l as mean±3S.D.) were deduced. Further application to urine samples from 147 workers occupationally exposed to As in Bacthai Non-ferrous Metallurgic Corporation showed significantly elevated levels of As in urine, with mean±S.D. of 78.5±20.2 μg/l. Improvement of working conditions to reduce As exposure resulted in substantial reduction in the ratio of those with urinary As at the level in excess of the acceptable limit. The practical importance of total arsenic determination in urine after 2-day sea food abstinence is discussed in connection with current conditions in analytical laboratories in Vietnam.