Benzene in blood and phenol in urine in monitoring benzene exposure in industry.

Determinations of benzene concentration in blood and of phenol in urine were made by head-space gas chromatography techniques on samples taken near the end of the work day from two groups of workers potentially exposed to low levels of benzene in the work-place atmosphere. Preliminary results suggest that benzene in blood is more reliable than phenol tests for assessing both exposure and uptake of benzene. Normal values of phenol in urine (10 mg/liter or less) were found in nearly all those cases in which benzene was detected in the blood.