Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Urinary arginine and ornithine in occupational exposure to 2-ethylhexanoic acid

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Archives of Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

    We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

    Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Abstract

Nine sawmill workers were divided into two groups according to their exposure to 2-ethylhexanoic acid, (EHA), a pesticide which has replaced the older pentochlorophenol. The men with lower exposure excreted 30±10 nmol EHA/mmol creatinine (mean ±SD,n=4) in urine samples taken after the workshift, whereas men with higher exposure excreted 1.8±1.6 μmol EHA/mmol creatinine (mean±SD,n=5,p<0.01). The urinary ornithine and arginine concentrations were at the lower exposure 1.4±0.4 and 1.5±0.8 μmol/mmol creatinine, respectively (mean±SD,n=4), and they increased significantly (p<0.01) to 4.5±2.5 and 3.2±1.5μmol/mmol (mean±SD,n=5), respectively, at the higher exposure. This might have been caused by the inhibitory effect of EHA on urea synthesis which was partially compensated for by elevated arginine and ornithine concentrations to drive the urea cycle more efficiently.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Batshaw ML, Brusilow S, Wager L, Blom W, Brubakk AM, Burton BK, Cann HM, Kerr D, Mamunes P, Matalon R, Myerberg D, Schafer IA (1982) Treatment of inborn errors of urea synthesis. Activation of alternative pathways of waste nitrogen synthesis and excretion. New Engl J Med 306: 1387–1392

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman MW, Zieve L, Konstantinides FN, Cerra FB (1984) Mechanism of arginine protection against ammonia intoxication in the rat. Am J Physiol 247: G290-G295

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liappis N, Kelderbacher S-D, Kessier K, Bantzer P (1979) Quantitative study of free amino acids in human eccrine sweat excreted from the forearm of healthy trained and untrained men during exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 42: 227–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Manninen A, Anttila S, Savolainen H (1988) Rat metabolic adaptation to ammonia inhalation. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 187: 278–281

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manninen A, Kroger S, Liesivuori J, Savolainen H (1989) 2-Ethylhexanoic acid inhibits urea synthesis and stimulates carnitine acetyltransferase activity in rat liver mitochondria. Arch Toxicol 63: 160–161

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marini AM, Zaret BS, Beckner R (1988) Hepatic and renal contributions to valproic acid-induced hyperammonemia. Neurology 38: 365–371

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Public Health Institute, Kuopio, Finland

    Sirpa Pennanen

  2. Regional Institute of Occupational Health, Kuopio, Finland

    Alii Manninen

  3. Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    H. Savolainen

Authors
  1. Sirpa Pennanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alii Manninen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Savolainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pennanen, S., Manninen, A. & Savolainen, H. Urinary arginine and ornithine in occupational exposure to 2-ethylhexanoic acid. Arch Toxicol 64, 426–427 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973470

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973470

Key words

Search

Navigation