抄録
Exposure to volatile organic compounds in jet fuel JP-4 has been concerned about possible health
effects in flight line and aircraft maintenance personnel. To determine volatile organic compounds in
whole blood in JP-4 exposed personnel, we developed an analytical method using headspace
solid-phase microextraction(SPME), capillary gas chromatography(GC), and quadrupole mass
spectrometory(MS). Headspace SPME method uses a fine silica fiber coated with polymeric organic
liquid to extract volatile organic compounds directly from a headspace above a sample. The
SPME-GC/MS method in this study quantifies trace levels of 44 volatile hydrocarbons, including 34
aromatic hydrocarbons, 9 straight-chain alkanes(C7～ 15) and naphthalene in aqueous solution.
Detection limits for the method range from 0.024 ng/mL to 1.185 ng/mL. Quantification limits range
from 0.073 ng/mL to 3.59 ng/mL. The linearity of the calibration curves range from 0.891 to 1.000.
The method was applied in measuring blood hydrocarbons in 2 subjects involved in C-130H aircraft
fuel tank maintenance. In the post exposure sample from the subject working inside the tank, 7
straight-chain alkanes, mainly included n-heptane(291.14 ng/mL), n-octane(193.37 ng/mL) and
n-nonane(104.54 ng/mL) were identified and quantified. There were also 23 aromatic hydrocarbons
including toluene(153.51 ng/mL), xylenes (94.65 ng/mL), and ethylbenzene(15.52 ng/mL) in the
exposed sample. The results suggested that the SPME-GC/MS method will enable us to expand
biomonitoring effort to assess occupational JP-4 exposure.
