When is breath monitoring appropriate

Breath monitoring may be used to assess exposures to solvents either qualitatively or quantitatively. Quahtative information may be useful when exposure to a number of solvents is suspected. For qualitative purposes, either mixed-exhaled or end-exhaled air samples may be used. Provided that the sample collection and the analytical techniques are appropriate, a list of solvents may be thus identified and quantitative measurements planned. 

Quantitative information is needed for regulatory enforcement situations, where appropriately collected breath samples are compared to BEIs to assess whether exposure limits have been exceeded. BEIs have been developed after thorough studies of pharmacokinetics for a limited number of occupational contaminants. Exhaled air is used as a surrogate for blood when the relationships between exhaled air, alveolar air and (arterial or mixed venous) blood have been established. 

Besides regulatory purposes, breath monitoring can provide vahd information on solvent exposures when  

---