Abstract
Styrene concentration in venous blood and in urine and urinary mandelic acid were measured in 64 subjects occupationally exposed to styrene. Samples were collected before and after each half of the shift at the beginning and end of the working week. The styrene concentration in venous blood and in urine and the urinary mandelic acid were correlated with the mean-weighted environmental concentration of styrene, measured in the breathing zone by means of passive personal samplers. The results indicate that the urinary styrene concentration can be used as a biological index of exposure to styrene. This parameter could be considered complementary to measurements of mandelic acid in urine, styrene in mixed-exhaled air, phenylglyoxylic acid in urine, and styrene in blood.