Association of the blood/air partition coefficient of 1,3-butadiene with blood lipids and albumin.

Pulmonary gas uptake is a function of the blood solubility of a vapor, indicated by the blood/air partition coefficient. We hypothesized that blood lipid compositions are associated with the blood/air partition coefficients of lipophilic toxic vapors such as 1,3-butadiene. Our goal was to investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships of blood triglycerides, total cholesterol, and albumin to the blood/air partition coefficient of butadiene. We collected blood samples from 24 subjects at three time points: a fasting baseline and 2 and 4 hr after drinking a standardized high-fat milk shake (107 g fat, 80 g sugar, and 27 g protein). The blood/air partition coefficient was determined using the closed vial-equilibrium technique. Triglycerides and total cholesterol were analyzed by an enzymatic method, and albumin was analyzed with an immunoassay technique. We used multiple linear regression and general linear models to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship, respectively. The results showed that the blood/air partition coefficient of butadiene was cross-sectionally associated only with triglycerides at baseline, and longitudinally related to baseline triglycerides, total cholesterol, and the change in triglycerides over time. The blood/air partition coefficient of butadiene increased, on average, by approximately 20% and up to 40% for subjects with borderline higher triglyceride levels after ingestion of a standardized milk shake. In addition, a time factor beyond lipids was also significant in predicting the blood/air partition coefficient of butadiene. This may represent the effects of other unmeasured parameters related to time or time of day on the blood/air partition coefficient of butadiene. Because the blood/air partition coefficient is a major determinant of gas uptake, ingestion of a high fat meal before this type of exposure may significantly increase an individual's absorbed dose, possibly increasing the risk of adverse effects.