Urinary excretion of unmetabolized acetone as an indicator of occupational exposure to acetone

Acetone concentrations in urine samples from 28 workers exposed to acetone in a fiber-reinforced plastics factory were determined by directly injecting urine supernate into a gaschromatograph with FID detectors. Acetone concentrations in the urine from ten nonexposed subjects were also determined. The 8-h time-weighted exposure intensity of individual workers was monitored by means of diffusive sampling. Acetone concentration in urine and acetone concentration in the breathing zone showed a linear correlation to each other. The study results indicate that the correlation coefficient is high enough to enable use of the urinary level of acetone as an indicator of occupational exposure to acetone.