Environmental and biological monitoring of workers occupationally exposed to dimethylacetamide

Exposure to dimethylacetamide was measured in a plant where a prefabricated synthetic product was handled and mechanically processed. Stationary monitoring, personal ambient monitoring, and biological monitoring were employed to evaluate exposure. Personal exposure in the breathing zone varied considerably in comparison with a relatively constant level observed with stationary monitoring. No correlation between personal airborne exposure and excretion of mono-methylacetamide in urine was detected during a full workshift (5 days). Most (n = 6) workers studied (n = 8) excreted about 13% of the calculated inhaled dose as metabolite in urine. For two workers this parameter was about 30%. It is concluded that for a substance like dimethylacetamide, which is easily absorbed through the skin, biological monitoring is superior to airborne concentration monitoring in determining total uptake and (possible) health risk.