Determination of Benzene, Toluene and Xylenes BTX

The components known as BTX are aromatic compounds. Benzene, which is present in gasoline and motor vehicle exhaust gases, was formerly a starting compound for the production of insecticides (pentachlorophenol), styrene, and various plastics. It was also widely used in paints, paint strippers, varnishes and adhesives. It can enter the human organism via the lungs, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Acute intoxication leads to the following symptoms  

Chronic intoxication leads to the following clinical picture  

Benzene is metabolized to phenol in the human organism. The phenol is determined from the urine. Recent research has shown that the determination of S-phenylmercapturic acid and trans,trans-mucomc acid in the urine is more informative than the determination of phenol. 

The chromatogram of a blood sample containing benzene is given in Fig. 10-5. 

Toluene is used as a starting material in the production of aromatic chemical intermediates. It is used as a solvent for fats, paints and varnishes, and is also used in the explosives and adhesives industries. Entry into the human organism is analogous to benzene. Toluene is, moreover, an addictive substance which is used by glue sniffers , who inhale the vapor emitted by adhesives. The clinical 

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