Preliminary evaluation of urinary 2-thio-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic-acid (TTCA) levels as a test for exposure to carbon disulfide.

The exposure to carbon disulfide of workers in charge of different jobs in a Belgian viscose plant was measured by means of personal monitoring of the inhaled air and by quantitative assay of 2-thio-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) in urine. It was found that the atmospheric carbon disulfide concentration varied considerably among different jobs, among different individuals doing the same jobs and for the same individuals in the course of the working period. The 2-thio-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic-acid levels increased markedly during the exposure. The correlation between individual personal monitoring results and the increase TTCA levels was found to be statistically significant.