Correlation of urinary thioethers with chemical exposure in a rubber plant

Exposure to potentially alkylating in a rubber factory was measured by determining thioether concentrations in urine samples collected at the end of work on a Friday. The study population consisted of the total work force (113) in the production departments of a factory, and office clerks (111) in two factories of the same company. The highest excretion of thioethers was detected in female workers in the belt department who were exposed through the palmar skin. High excretion was also found in workers exposed to air-borne contaminants in the calender department and in workers in the raw material stores and chemical mixing sections. Lower values were found in this dispatching station and in the contaminant-free offices. Urinary thioether determination appears to be a reliable and easy method of assessing the exposure to certain rubber chemicals.