Removal of benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) from waste gases was studied in a 50-L laboratory-scale biofilter (25.2 cm I.D. and 100 cm H). A commercial blend of composted chicken manure and peat moss was used as the filter bed. The composted organic material was selected due to its relatively high microbial diversity and for its nutritive value (i.e. presence of N-sources and essential miner...

Many techniques exist to measure airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs), each with differing advantages; sorbent sampling is compact, versatile, has good sample stability, and is the preferred technique for collecting VOCs for hygienists. Development of a desorption technique that allows multiple analyses per sample (similar to chemical desorption) with enhanced sensitivity (similar to ther...

the aims of this study were to determine hippuric acid and toluene in urine samples, airborne toluene levels, health effects, and to describe any correlation between specimen samples. seventy-five printing workers exposed to toluene at work (exposed group), and 60 nonexposed people (control group) were studied. study participants were selected from same factories in the different positions. uri...

As part of our systematic exploration of chemical determinants for the olfactory potency of vapors towards humans, we measured concentration-detection functions for the odor of the homologous n-alkylbenzenes toluene, ethylbenzene, butylbenzene, hexylbenzene, and octylbenzene. A vapor delivery device based on dynamic olfactometry and calibrated by gas chromatography, served to test groups of 16 ...

OBJECTIVES A new desorption method was investigated, which does not require toxic organic solvents. Efficient desorption of organic solvents from activated carbon was achieved with an ananionic surfactant solution, focusing on its washing and emulsion action. METHODS Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) were used as test solvents. Lauryl benzene sulfonic acid sodium salt (LAS...

OBJECTIVES The present study was initiated to examine if application of the same biological occupational exposure limits (BOELs) for organic solvents is applicable across the sexes. METHODS A survey was conducted in 69 micro-scale enterprises in a furniture-producing industrial park. In practice, 211 men and 52 women participated in the survey. They worked in a series of production process, a...