A Method for On-Site Analysis of Urinary Benzene by Means of a Portable Gas-Chromatograph

Benzene is one of the toxic air pollutants released from automobile fuel, exhaust, tobacco smoke etc. , and is commonly found in both indoor and outdoor air1). Since benzene is a carcinogenic substance classified into group 1 (carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)2), it is important to assess the human health risk posed by exposure to environmental or occupational benzene. The analytical trials were performed to determine blood and urinary unchanged benzene as a specific index for low benzene 3-6). But these methods require sophisticated and expensive instruments such as a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer which can be used only in a laboratory. Moreover, benzene in biological fluids is volatilized so easily that it may cause the loss of samples during collection, transportation and preservation which is the most common cause of uncertainties7). Therefore, the development of simple and specific methods to perceive benzene exposure are expected.