This study was carried out to investigate the correlation between toluene in air and hippuric acid in human urine, which is based in the results of the health check-in and measure of working environment, was investigated for five years. Toluene in air and hippuric acid in urine were checked 116 workers who exposed to toluene in five type of industry. The Mean concentration of toluene in air by type of industry and every year and sex distinction, had positive correlation.(p<0.01) The Mean concentration of hippuric acid in urine by type of industry, every year, sex distinction, disparity of age and term of duty had positive correlation.(p<0.01)

The relationships between subjective symptoms of toluene exposed workers and concentration of their urinary excretion of hippuric acid were investigated. The exposed groups of 146 workers exposed to toluene and the control groups of 47 workers have never been exposed to toluene in Ulsan area were selected and studied. Hippuric acid was measured by HPLC, and counts of blood cells and liver function test were also performed. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was 0.322(±0.267) g/L, while that of the exposed group was 1.260(±0.395) g/L. As the concentration of hippuric acid had statistical proximity in 0.1% level, WBC, GOT, and GPT didn't have any proximity(P>0.05). The exposed group showed lower level of leucocyte counts 6522.40(1710.3) than the control group 6891.50(1483.7). The exposed group showed higher level of GOT(25.75), GPT(27.09) than GOT(23.75), GPT(25.21) of the control group. Dried skin was the highest complained symptom of toluene exposed workers, the second strained eye, the third poor auditory function, and the fourth was headache.

This study was carried out to investigate the correlation between toluene in air and hippuric acid in human urine, which is based on the results of the health check-in and the measure of working environment, was investigated for two years. The concentration of toluene in air for the five working places in Yang-San area were ranged from 39.05±10.31 ppm to 4.04±3.38ppm and the mean value of those was 16.89±14.76ppm. The mean value was 16.89±14.76ppm which is below the permissible limit of toluene. The concentration of hippuric acid(HA) in the worker's urine were between 0.47g/ℓ and 0.76g/ℓ. There was mutual correlation (r=0.94) between the concentration of toluene in air and that of hippuric acid in urine. In case of male workers, the mean value of hippuric acid in urine was 0.56g/ℓ and the female workers was 0.57g/ℓ that showed higher than the male's. However, there was no relationship between the workshop and the distinction of sex. From the mean value of toluene in air(T) and that of hippuric acid(H), we obtained the formula, H= 0.3log T+0.235

The health symptoms assessment and urinary hippuric acid excretions of workers exposed to toluene occupationally in shoes workshops were investigated by the questionnaire and the field monitoring. Based on the results, the acute health symptoms of workers exposed to toluene by questionnaire were fatigue(58.7%), irritation of the eyes, nose and throat(57.2%), and skin dryness(43.3%). And the complaints about workshop environment are odor, dust and noise. The mean values of urinary hippuric acid excretions in male and female were 1.08 ± 0.50 g/ℓ, 1.59 ± 1.27 g/ℓ in total workers, espectively.