S-Phenyl-N-Acetylcysteine in Urine of Rats and Workers After Exposure to Benzene

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Abstract
An HPLC method for the determination of S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine in urine is described. The sensitivity is 6 µmol/L (CV = 9%) urine. Exposure of rats to six different concentrations of benzene, ranging from 0–30 ppm, was highly associated with urinary excretion of S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine (r = 0.86) and with total phenol (r = 0.81). A background level of phenol was found in urine of both non-exposed rats and of non-exposed referents. However, no background excretion of S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine was found, either in rats or in humans. In urine of exposed rats, the level of S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine was approximately five times lower than the phenol level. Workers occupationally exposed to benzene, showing high levels of urinary phenol, revealed low concentrations of urinary S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine. The biological monitoring of industrial exposure to benzene by determination of S-phenyl-N-acetylcysteine in urine is not better than the determination of phenol in urine.