Summary
To determine the fraction of butoxyacetic acid (BAA) which is excreted as the amino acid conjugate N-butoxyacetylglutamine (BAA-GLN), urine samples of six lacquerers exposed to 2-butoxyethanol (BE) were collected before and after work and analysed using an HPLC-method which allows the simultaneous quantification of both BAA species. Whereas the pre-shift samples contained only little or no butoxyethanol-related material, concentrations of BAA and BAA-GLN amounted collectively to up to 7 mmol/l in the samples obtained at the end of work. The ratio BAA-GLN vs. total BAA ranged from 0.16 to 0.64 (mean value 0.48) indicating that a substantial fraction of BAA was eliminated as the amino acid conjugate. The results demonstrate that BAA-GLN is an important metabolite of BE in man. Procedures employed for the biological monitoring of exposure to BE should therefore include the quantification of BAA-GLN, otherwise exposure levels would be underestimated.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Angerer J, Lichterbeck E, Begerow J, Jekel S, Lehnert G (1990) Occupational chronic exposure to organic solvents. XIII. Glycol ether exposure during the production of varnishes. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 62:123–126
Bartnik FG, Reddy AK, Klecak G, Zimmermann V, Hostynek JJ, Kunstler K (1987) Percutaneous absorption, metabolism, and hemolytic activity of n-butoxyethanol. Fundam Appl Toxicol 8:59–70
Begerow J, Heinrich-Ramm R, Angerer J (1988) Determination of butoxyacetic acid in urine by capillary gas chromatography. Fresenius Z Anal Chem 331:818–820
Carpenter CP, Pozzani UC, Weil CS, Nair JH, Keck GA, Smyth HF (1956) The toxicity of butyl cellosolve solvent. Arch Ind Health 14:114–131
Dodd DE, Snellings WM, Maronpot RR, Ballantyne B (1983) Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether: acute, 9-day, and 90-day vapor inhalation studies in Fisher 344 rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 68:405–414
Ghanayem BI, Burka LT, Matthews HB (1987) Metabolic basis of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (2-butoxyethanol) toxicity: role of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 242:222–231
Ghanayem BI (1989) Metabolic and cellular basis of 2-butoxyethanol-induced hemolytic anemia in rats and assessment of human risk in vitro. Biochem Pharmacol 38:1679–1684
Grant D, Sulsh S, Jones HB, Gangolli SD, Butler WH (1985) Acute toxicity and recovery in the hemopoetic system of rats after treatment with ethylene glycol monomethyl and monobutyl ethers. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 77:187–200
Groeseneken D, Veulemans H, Masschelein R, Van Vlem E (1988) Comparative urinary excretion of ethoxyacetic acid in man and rat after single low doses of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether. Toxicol Lett 41:57–68
Groeseneken D, Veulemans H, Masschelein R, Van Vlem E (1989) Experimental human exposure to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 61:243–247
Johanson G, Kronborg H, Näslund PH, Byfiät Nordqvist M (1986) Toxicokinetics of inhaled 2-butoxyethanol (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) in man. Scand J Work Environ Health 12:594–602
Johanson G, Boman A, Dynésius B (1988) Percutaneous absorption of 2-butoxyethanol in man. Scand J Work Environ Health 14:101–109
Johanson G (1989) Analysis of ethylene glycol ether metabolites in urine by extractive alkylation and electron-capture gas chromatography. Arch Toxicol 63:107–111
Johanson G, Boman A (1991) Percutaneous absorption of 2-butoxyethanol vapour in human subjects. Br J Ind Med 48:788–792
Krasavage WJ (1986) Subchronic oral toxicity of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether in male rats. Fundam Appl Toxicol 6:349–355
Lapidot Y, Rappoport S, Wolman Y (1967) Use of esters of N-hydroxysuccinimide in the synthesis of N-acylamino acids. J Lip Res 8:142–145
Wodarz R, Rettenmeier AW (1992) Nachweis van Aminosäurekonjugaten der Butoxyessigsäure im Urin butoxyethanolbelasteter Lackierer. In: Schäcke G, Ruppe K, Vogel-Sührig C (eds) Verhandlungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Arbeitsmedizin e.V. Gentner Stuttgart, pp 593–596
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rettenmeier, A.W., Hennigs, R. & Wodarz, R. Determination of butoxyacetic acid and N-butoxyacetyl-glutamine in urine of lacquerers exposed to 2-butoxyethanol. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 65 (Suppl 1), S151–S153 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381329
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381329