Addendum to Benzene
Assessment Values in Biological Material – Translation of the German version from 2018
Thomas Kraus1Michael Bader2
Katrin Klotz3
Wobbeke Weistenhöfer3
Hans Drexler3
Andrea Hartwig4
MAK Commission5
1 Aachen University, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
2 BASF SE, Corporate Health Management, FEH/CB, Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany
3 Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Henkestraße 9–11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
4 Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
5 Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Abstract
The German Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area has derived biological reference values (BAR) and re‐evaluated the exposure equivalents for carcinogenic substances (EKA) for the urinary benzene metabolites S‐phenylmercapturic acid, t,t‐muconic acid and benzene in 2016. Available publications are described in detail.
The existing exposure equivalents for carcinogenic substances (EKA) for the benzene metabolites were re‐evaluated and extended especially to the low‐exposure range. For the parameter benzene in urine, new EKA were established.
Taking results of studies into consideration with persons of the general population not occupationally exposed to benzene, with sufficient number of cases and current biomonitoring methods, biological reference values (BAR) of 0.3 µg S‐phenylmercapturic acid/g creatinine, 150 µg t,t‐muconic acid/g creatinine and 0.3 µg benzene/l urine were established. Sampling time is at the end of exposure or the end of the working shift.
