Excretion kinetics of 1,3-dichlorobenzene and its urinary metabolites after controlled airborne exposure in human volunteers

The solvent 1,3-dichlorobenzene (1,3-DCB) is formed during thermal decomposition of the initiator 2,4-dichlorobenzoylperoxide in the production of silicone rubber with potential exposure of production workers as shown in previous works. Despite a threshold limit value (MAK value) of 2 ppm in air, there are currently no data about the corresponding internal exposure that would allow for the derivation of a biological limit value. In the present study, we have investigated the absorption of 1,3-DCB and urinary kinetics of its metabolites in 10 human volunteers after controlled inhalative exposure. Due to the strong odour of 1,3-DCB, a subjective evaluation of odour nuisance was also performed. Ten male human volunteers (23–36 yrs.) were exposed 6 h/day to a concentration of 0.7 ppm and 1.5 ppm in the Aachen workplace simulation laboratory (AWSL) with one week between each experiment. In order to investigate potential dermal absorption, the volunteers were exposed to 1.5 ppm wearing a suitable filter mask that prevented inhalative exposure in a third exposure. 1,3-DCB in blood was measured after 3 and 6 h exposure and the urinary metabolites 3,5-dichlorocatechol (3,5-DCC), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and 3,5-dichlorophenol (3,5-DCP) were measured over 24 h after exposure via LC/MS/MS. There were clear dose–response relations for all investigated parameters. The maximum excretion of the metabolites was reached at the end of exposure and corresponded to 5.2 ± 0.7 mg/g crea, 1.5 ± 0.35 mg/g crea and 0.07 ± 0.011 mg/g crea at 0.7 ppm and to 12.0 ± 3 mg/g crea, 3.5 ± 1.1 mg/g crea and 0.17 ± 0.05 mg/g crea at 1.5 ppm for 3,5-DCC, 2,4-DCP and 3,5-DCP, respectively. The use of filter masks decreased the internal exposure for about 85–90%, indicating substantial dermal absorption. Odour perception did not show a dose–response, probably due to fast olfactory adaption. The human study presented here provides an excellent basis for deriving a biological limit value for 1,3-DCB. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00204-023-03447-x.