Uptake, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of styrene in man. A comparison between single exposure and co-exposure with acetone.

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Abstract
Six male subjects were exposed for 2 h during light physical exercise to 2.81 mmol/m3 (293 mg/m3) styrene on 1 occasion and to a mixture of 2.89 mmol/m3 (301 mg/m3) styrene and 21.3 mmol/m3 (1240 mg/m3) acetone on another (combination study). About 68% of the dose (.apprx. > 4mmol) styrene was taken up. The arterial blood concentration of styrene reached a relatively stable level after .apprx. 75 min of exposure of .apprx. 18 and 20 .mu.mol/l after the single and combined exposure, respectively. Calculated values of mean blood clearance were 1.9 l/min in the styrene study and 1.6 l/min in the combination study; the half life of styrene in blood was .apprx. 40 min in both studies. The concentration of nonconjugated styrene glycol increased linearly during exposure and reached .apprx. 3 .mu.mol/l at the end of exposure and was eliminated with a half life of .apprx. 70 min. Styrene 7,8-oxide was detected and quantified in the blood in a complementary study. The half lives for the excretion of mandelic and phenylglycoxylic acid in the urine were .apprx. 4 and 9 h, respectively, in both studies.