The concentration of toluene in blood was determined
before onset of the exposure and at selected
intervals during and up to 3 hours after exposure.
Capillary blood samples of200 ,ul were obtained from
a prewarmed finger tip. The blood samples were
transferred to gas tight head space bottles that were
immediately sealed with teflon lined membranes.
After equilibration at 37°C for 30 minutes the head
space of the blood samples was analysed by gas
chromatography with a head space autosampler
technique (0 4% Carbowax A on Carbopack A, 2 m,
160°C, nitrogen flow 30 ml/min, flame ionisation
detector, Perkin Elmer F45, Perkin Elmer LC1-100
integrator). The error of the method for determination
of toluene in the blood was 4%.
The total amount of urine was collected
immediately before onset of exposure and up to 20
hours after exposure. The concentration of labelled
and unlabelled hippuric acid in urine was determined
by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS)
with o-methyl hippuric acid (Aldrich) as inter-