Abstract

Exposure to carbon disulphide (CS2) in a viscose plant was measured by personal monitoring and by application of the iodine azide test and quantification of 2-thio-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic-acid (TTCA) in urine samples. A relation was found between the rise in urinary TTCA concentration during the workshift and the exposure index E1. The correlation (r) between the exposure index and the atmospheric concentrations of CS2 in workroom air below 100 mg CS2/m3 was 0.59 (n = 9). The correlation between the increase in TTCA concentrations during the workshift and the atmospheric CS2 concentrations was found to be higher when urine samples at the end of the workshift with creatinine concentrations below 1 mg/ml and above 3 mg/ml were disregarded (from r = 0.61; n = 20 to r = 0.84; n = 14). A high correlation was found (r = 0.86; n = 13) when the end of workshift urine samples were analysed, provided that their creatinine concentrations are not beyond the limits given above.