PHENOL and p-CRESOL in urine
(1) C6H5OH (2) CH3C6H4OH
MW: MW:
94.11 108.14
METHOD: 8305, Issue 2
CAS: 108-95-2 CAS: 106-44-5
8305
RTECS: SJ3325000 RTECS: GO6475000
EVALUATION: PARTIAL
BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR OF:
Issue 1: 15 May 1985 Issue 2: 15 August 1994
exposure to phenol, benzene, and p-cresol.
SYNONYMS: (1) phenol: carbolic acid (2) p-cresol: 4-methylphenol SAMPLING SPECIMEN:
two spot urine samples (before and after exposure)
VOLUME:
50 to 100 mL in polyethylene screw-cap bottle containing preservative
MEASUREMENT METHOD:
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY, FID
ANALYTE:
phenol and p-cresol
TREATMENT:
acid hydrolysis; extraction
PRESERVATIVE: few crystals of thymol
INJECTION VOLUME:
5 µL
SHIPMENT:
TEMPERATURE-INJECTION: -DETECTOR: -COLUMN:
180 °C 200 °C 4 min @ 120 °C; 16 °C/min; 4 min @ 190 °C
SAMPLE STABILITY:
CONTROLS:
freeze urine; ship in dry ice in an insulated container
stable for 4 days @ 25 °C and for 3 months @ -4 °C
COLUMN:
3 m x 2-mm ID glass, 2% diethylene glycol adipate/Anakrom Q, 60/80 mesh
collect urine from unexposed workers; pool and freeze the control urine
CARRIER GAS:
N 2, 25 mL/min
CALIBRATION:
analyte in control urine; nitrobenzene internal standard
RANGE:
2 to 300 µg phenol/mL urine; 2 to 500 µg p-cresol/mL urine
ESTIMATED LOD: 0.5 µg/mL urine RECOVERY:
(1) 94% @ 15 mg/mL; (2) 95% @ 50 µg/mL
PRECISION (Sr):
(1) 0.128; (2) 0.091
ACCURACY:
(1) ± 31.0%; (2) ± 22.8%
APPLICABILITY: Phenol and p-cresol occur normally in urine. This method is useful in screening workers exposed to phenol, p-cresol, and benzene. The chief metabolite of benzene is phenol [1]. Workers exposed 8 h to 25 ppm benzene excreted abou t 150 mg phenol/L urine [2].
INTERFERENCES: o-Phenylphenol has a GC retention time similar to that of phenol. A careful work history/questionnaire is suggested.
OTHER METHODS: This method replaces P&CAM 330 [3]. A nonspecific colorimetric method yields 50% higher phenol concentrations with normal urine than does this method [4].
NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM), Fourth Edition, 8/15/94
