Enfluran Metoda oznaczania w powietrzu na stanowiskach pracy z zastosowaniem chromatografii gazowej1

Abstract

Enflurane is an inhaled general anaesthetic and is a positional isomer of another anaesthetic, namely isoflurane. At room temperature, it is a colourless, transparent liquid with a faint, sweet odour. In occupational exposure, enflurane is often used in a mixture with other inhalation anaesthetics, so symptoms are difficult to attribute to the effects of any one substance. Symptoms such as eye and skin irritation, central nervous system depression, cardiovascular disorders, and liver and kidney damage have been reported in workers exposed to anaesthetic mixtures. The aim of this research work was to develop and validate a method for the determination of enflurane in air at workplaces. This enflurane determination method is based on the adsorption of substance vapours on the ‘Petroleum Charcoal’ activated carbon, extraction with toluene and chromatographic analysis of the resulting solution. The tests used a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC-MS) fitted with a capillary polar column ZB-WAXplus (60 m length, 0.25 mm diameter and 0.5 µm stationary phase film thickness). The SIM mass spectrometer readings as a function of enflurane concentration within the tested concentration range (10.0–400 µg/ml) are linear. The analytical method developed enables the determination of enflurane in air at workplaces in the presence of other inhalation anaesthetics. The method is precise and accurate and it meets the requirements of PN-EN 482 for the determination of chemicals. The method developed for the determination of enflurane in air at workplaces has been recorded as an analytical procedure (see Appendix). This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering studies.