Evaluation of blood BTEX levels in fuel stations workers using vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on deep eutectic solvent followed by gas chromatography flame-ionization detector

Abstract

In this research, an eco-friendly method was established by vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the deep eutectic solvent (VA–DLLME–DES). The performance of the proposed method was demonstrated by the determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) in blood samples of fuel stations workers combined with GC–FID. The selected hydrophilic deep eutectic solvent is consisting of l-menthol and (1S)-(+)-camphor-10-sulfonic acid (CSA) at a 5:1 molar ratio as a green solvent instead of traditional toxic organic solvents. Under the optimal extraction conditions, the introduced method exhibited good linearity with a coefficient of determinations (r 2) higher than 0.9985 and an acceptable linear range of 0.03–80 µg l–1. Accordingly, the limits of detection (S/N = 3) and limits of quantification (S/N = 10) were in the ranges of 0.01–0.04 µg l−1 and 0.03–0.10 µg l−1, respectively. Blood BTEX levels of fuel stations workers were analyzed based on age, duration of working at the station, smokers or nonsmokers, and station type (CNG, gasoline, and dual-purpose). The results showed that there was no significant difference between blood BTEX levels in different age groups, while the concentration of BTEX compounds increases with the increase of working time in the station. Blood BTEX levels were much higher in smokers than in nonsmokers.