[Biological monitoring at the work site]

To evaluate the standard of industrial hygiene whilst dealing with pathogenic substances, threshold limit values, (TL-Values) have to be observed. This strategically important preventive concept is being supplemented by a secondary preventive measure. This is legally based on Section 8. Workers' Protection Act (physical aptitude of workers), Federal Ordinance Nr. 39/1974 regarding the physical aptitude of workers for specified jobs. The determination of pathogenic substances or their metabolites in body fluids, therefore, constitutes a possibility to evaluate the individual health hazard. In addition, the problems of the test concept to evaluate the effects of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by means of determining DNA-PAH adducts are discussed.