Volatile anaesthetics and disinfection chemicals pose ubiquitous inhalation and dermal exposure risksin hospital and clinic environments. This work demonstrates specific non-invasive breath biomonitoringmethodology for assessing staff exposures to sevoflurane (SEV) anaesthetic, documenting its metabolitehexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and measuring exposures to isopropanol (IPA) dermal disinfection fluid.Methods are based on breath sample collection in Nalophan bags, followed by an aliquot transfer toadsorption tube, and subsequent analysis by thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(TD-GC-MS). Ambient levels of IPA were also monitored. These methods could be generalized to othercommon volatile chemicals found in medical environments. Calibration curves were linear (r2= 0.999) inthe investigated ranges: 0.01-1000 ppbv for SEV, 0.02-1700 ppbv for IPA, and 0.001-0.1 ppbv for HFIP.The instrumental detection limit was 10 pptv for IPA and 5 pptv for SEV, both estimated by extractedion-TIC chromatograms, whereas the HFIP minimum detectable concentration was 0.5 pptv as estimatedin SIM acquisition mode. The methods were applied to hospital staff working in operating rooms andclinics for blood draws. SEV and HFIP were present in all subjects at concentrations in the range of0.7-18, and 0.002-0.024 ppbv for SEV and HFIP respectively. Correlation between IPA ambient air andbreath concentration confirmed the inhalation pathway of exposure (r = 0.95, p < 0.001) and breath-borneIPA was measured as high as 1500 ppbv. The methodology is easy to implement and valuable for screeningexposures to common hospital chemicals. Although the overall exposures documented were generallybelow levels of health concern in this limited study, outliers were observed that indicate potential foracute exposures.
Determination of sevoflurane and isopropyl alcohol in exhaled breathby thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry forexposure assessment of hospital staf
2015
Abstract
Volatile anaesthetics and disinfection chemicals pose ubiquitous inhalation and dermal exposure risksin hospital and clinic environments. This work demonstrates specific non-invasive breath biomonitoringmethodology for assessing staff exposures to sevoflurane (SEV) anaesthetic, documenting its metabolitehexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and measuring exposures to isopropanol (IPA) dermal disinfection fluid.Methods are based on breath sample collection in Nalophan bags, followed by an aliquot transfer toadsorption tube, and subsequent analysis by thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(TD-GC-MS). Ambient levels of IPA were also monitored. These methods could be generalized to othercommon volatile chemicals found in medical environments. Calibration curves were linear (r2= 0.999) inthe investigated ranges: 0.01-1000 ppbv for SEV, 0.02-1700 ppbv for IPA, and 0.001-0.1 ppbv for HFIP.The instrumental detection limit was 10 pptv for IPA and 5 pptv for SEV, both estimated by extractedion-TIC chromatograms, whereas the HFIP minimum detectable concentration was 0.5 pptv as estimatedin SIM acquisition mode. The methods were applied to hospital staff working in operating rooms andclinics for blood draws. SEV and HFIP were present in all subjects at concentrations in the range of0.7-18, and 0.002-0.024 ppbv for SEV and HFIP respectively. Correlation between IPA ambient air andbreath concentration confirmed the inhalation pathway of exposure (r = 0.95, p < 0.001) and breath-borneIPA was measured as high as 1500 ppbv. The methodology is easy to implement and valuable for screeningexposures to common hospital chemicals. Although the overall exposures documented were generallybelow levels of health concern in this limited study, outliers were observed that indicate potential foracute exposures.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
