[Usefulness of a modified screening method for the detection of phenol in the saliva in evaluating occupational exposure to this compound].

So far there has not been any quick and simple method to estimate phenol exposure or phenol poisoning directly at the workstation. Our work was aiming at a modification of Lutogniewska's method of determining phenol in the saliva as an indicator of phenol exposure at the workplace. The original method has been improved and modified through essential modification, consisting in a stable borax prealkalization of blotting--paper where the saliva is deposited, which results in a more intense and fast colouring. Apart from original 2,6-dibromchinochlorimid detector, 2,6-dichlorchinochlorimid has been tested. The newly--developed technique has been used in field studies related to 19 workers in one of petrochemical plants and a control group of 40 volunteer students. The proposed method is easy to apply and convenient both for those carrying out the studies and those subjected to them. Nearly in all workers tested, after 6 hours' exposure slight traces of phenol (2 mg/100 ml saliva) have been found in the saliva. On the other hand, in those with no exposure to phenol the test was negative. The method seems to be valuable for the practical use in field studies. The findings of this tentative paper should be checked on more extensive materials.