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55683 
Journal Article 
Exposizione profesionale a metil ter-butil etere (MTBE) in una raffineria di petrolio (Occupational exposure to methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) at an oil refinery) 
Perbellini, L; Pasini, F; Prigioni, P; Rosina, A 
2004 
Yes 
Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia
ISSN: 1592-7830 
3 
39-40 
ABSTRACT OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE to METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER (MTBE) IN AN OIL REFINERY. Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is widely USED as an additive to gasoline, to increase oxygen content and reduce tailpipe emission of carbon monoxide. Our research dealt with37 refinery workers in order to measure their occupational exposure to MTBE during two different seasonal periods. They provided blood and urine samples before and after a work shift during which they wore an active charcoal sampler for solvents. All samples were analysed by a gas-chromatograph equipped with a mass spectrometer detector. The concentration in air of MTBE was very low (median: 25 Ág/m3 in spring and 5 Ág/m3 in autumn). The blood and urine concentrations of MTBE at the end of the work shift were higher than those found before the shift The increment in biological samples confirmed a small intake of MTBE by refinery workers: the biological monitoring of occupational exposure to this solvent yielded reliable results. Blood and urinary concentrations of MTBE obtained from workers split in relation to their smoking habit did not give a statistic significance to say that cigarette smoke is not a confusion factor in monitoring exposure to MTBE.