Urinary 1-Naphthol as a Biological Indicator of Naphthalene Exposure

Abstract
Doses of naphthalene ranging from 1 μg to 1.0 g were administered to swine housed in metabolism cages. The major urinary metabolite, conjugated 1-naphthol, was hydrolyzed, and the free 1-naphthol was reacted with pentafluorobenzyl bromide to generate an ether derivative which was separated by packed-column gas chromatography and detected by electron capture as pentafluoro-benzyl-1-naphthyl ether. Most 1-naphthol excretion occurred during the first 24-hour period following dosing. Metabolic 1-naphthol could be detected after administration of as little as 100 μg naphthalene. This suggests the use of 1-naphthol as a biological indicator of the magnitude of occupational exposure to naphthalene. Keimig, S. D.; Morgan, D. P.: Urinary 1-naphthol as a biological indicator of naphthalene exposure.