Value of the simultaneous determination of PCO2 in monitoring exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane by breath analysis.

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Abstract
Eight volunteers were exposed for 8 h to .apprx. 200 ppm 1,1,1-trichloroethane. On the next morning 5 series of 5 alveolar samples were collected for the simultneous determination of PCO2 [CO2 partial pressure] and 1,1,1-trichloroethane concentration. Sampling methods were: voluntary hyperventilation, 10-s breathholding and standard. A linear relationship between the alveolar concentrations of both gases were observed in all subjects. Expired air was also collected in 2 subjects and an analogous relationship was observed. The Bohr dead space was found to be of similar size for CO2 and for 1,1,1-trichloroethane. In the monitoring of solvent exposure by breath analysis, the results should be corrected for hyperventilation or hypoventilation and for dilution of alveolar air with dead space air by a proportional adjustment of the solvent concentration at the mean normal alveolar PCO2 or by disregarding the samples with a PCO2 outside the normal range. The PCO2 determination in 40 unselected workers showed that in > 1/3, to monitor exposure by breath analysis would have been of little meaning without such an adjustment or rejection criteria.