Occupational Exposure to 2-Butoxyethanol for Workers Using Window Cleaning Agents

Abstract

Abstract 2-Butoxyethanol (2-BE), is frequently used as a component of industrial and household cleaning agents like those used in window cleaners. In these preparations, 2-BE concentrations ranged from 1 percent to 30 percent in volume. The exposures of 16 cleaning women and 13 cleaners of cars were determined by environmental and biological monitoring. Questionnaires completed by these employees provided basic information for an assessment of factors contributing to the level of exposure. The time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of 2-BE were determined by individual sampling. Preshift and endshift urine samples were analyzed for butoxy-acetic acid (BAA), one specific metabolite of 2-BE. The 2-BE TWA of the workers ranged from <0.10 ppm to 7.33 ppm, and BAA urine concentrations ranged from <2 mg to 371 mg/g creatinine in the endshift urine samples. For the workers with the highest exposure levels, the 2-BE mean was 2.44 ppm and the BAA urinary concentration mean reached the level of 111.3 mg/g creatinine in end-shift samples. The high levels of urinary BAA acid concentrations, compared with the TWA concentrations of 2-BE, suggest that skin penetration is predominant in worker exposure. BAA concentration mean for a specific job category in each shop seems to be well correlated with work practices, that is, utilization time and daily quantity/worker of window cleaning agent used.