Monitoring surface contamination for thirty antineoplastic drugs: a new proposal for surface exposure levels (SELs).

Background: Chemotherapy drugs are widely used to treat cancer, but their active compounds represent a danger for workers who could be exposed to them. However, they aren't yet included in directive CE No. 1272/2008 and the European Biosafety Network has only recommended a limit value of 100 pg/cm for surface contamination.

Analytical strategies for assessing occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs in healthcare workplaces.

Background: Cytotoxic antineoplastic drugs (ADs), widely used in treating cancer, are considered hazardous in the workplace and thus require safe handling practices. An analytical protocol for environmental and biological AD monitoring in the healthcare environment has been developed, since Europe lacks clear guidelines and regulations for cytostatic preparation and handling.

Material And Methods: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used for measuring contemporaneously 20 multi-class cytostatic compounds and urinary α-fluoro-β-alanine, whereas platinum was detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).