2-Butanone Oxime, a Chemical of Concern in the Working Environment

Abstract

Employers of the companies where carcinogenic chemicals are being processed or used are obliged to ensure safe working conditions for their employees. Butan-2-one oxime, commonly present in alkyd paints or silicone sealants may pose such a risk due to its reclassification as a category 1B carcinogen. Therefore, in Poland new maximum admissible concentrations (MAC) value of 1 mg/m 3 was proposed by interdepartmental Commission for maximum admissible concentrations and intensities for agents harmful to health in the working environment. Assessing exposure to this compound requires a method to be developed for its determination in the workers’ breathing zone, which was the aim of the presented study. A method was developed for determining the aerosol concentrations of 2-butanone oxime in the air at workplaces, in the range of 1/10 to 2 of the MAC value, i.e. from 0.1 mg/m 3 to 2 mg/m 3 . The method involves trapping the airborne aerosol of 2-butanone oxime onto a sampler - a glass tube with silica gel, its extraction with methanol and analysis of the resulting solution using gas chromatography with flame ionization detector in the presence of co-substances. Validation parameters were determined according to the guidelines of EN 482. The limit of detection at 6.79 ng/ml and the relative total uncertainty of 11.19% was determined. The method can be used by environmental occupational hygiene laboratories to measure concentrations of butan-2-one oxime in the air.