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Abstract
The potential for percutaneous absorption of aerosols and vapors of bitumen was investigated in human beings using an experimental chamber. Commercial bitumen B 65 was used to generate the bitumen emissions. The system used for air sampling and analysis permitted the separate evaluation of aerosols and vapors as well as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and contents, respectively. n = 10 male nonsmokers were exposed for 8 h with and two of them in addition without a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR). Quantification of the percutaneous and combined inhaled/percutaneous absorption was related to the biological monitoring of the PAH metabolites pyrene, chrysene, and phenanthrene in urine. The bitumen emissions in chamber were determined to be 20.4 mg/m 3 with a vapor content of about 88%. Two subjects stressed by inhalation and percutaneous contact with bitumen showed PAH absorption values of approximately 57% for pyrene and chrysene and about 50% for phenanthrene.