Quantitaion of urinary metabolites of workers exposed to phenol by high performance liquid chromatography

The metabolites phenylglucuronide (PhG) and phenysulfate (PhS) in urine samples collected from male, chemical fiber factory workers were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Even when the phenol concentration was below the threshold limit value of 5ppm, phenol metabolites could be analyzed by HPLC. The PhS/PhG ratio was not constant, probably because work conditions varied among individuals. The concentration of atmospheric phenol could be estimated from the regression equations using the PhG, PhS and total phenol (PhG+PhS) levels in urine.