Breathing-Zone Exposure to Aromatic Volatile Organic Compounds in Surgical Smoke During Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor: A Prospective Paired Monitoring Study

(1) Background: Energy-based transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) generates surgical smoke that may contain hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), yet surgeon breathing-zone exposure during transurethral surgery remains insufficiently characterized. (2) Methods: We conducted a prospective paired-exposure study during 28 TURBT procedures over 10 operating days using personal sampling at the surgeon's breathing zone and simultaneous intraoperative background sampling at three predefined locations (~1.5 m from the surgeon). VOCs were measured by active sampling onto Tenax TA sorbent tubes followed by thermal desorption Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and formaldehyde was measured by 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridges with high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet detection (HPLC/UV). Breathing-zone versus background contrasts were summarized as paired geometric mean ratios (GMRs), and a dose index was calculated as concentration × operative time (µg·h/m³). (3) Results: Breathing-zone concentrations consistently exceeded background levels, including total VOCs (GMR 4.31; 95% CI 2.92-6.38), ΣBTEXS (sum of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and styrene; GMR 2.10; 1.69-2.60), and styrene (GMR 8.51; 6.25-11.60); formaldehyde showed a smaller but significant elevation (GMR 1.20; 1.07-1.35). ΣBTEXS dose increased with operative time (Spearman ρ = 0.80, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and resection mass where available (ρ = 0.62, <i>p</i> = 0.0038; <i>n</i> = 20) and scaled with operative time (β = 0.86; R² = 0.69; <i>n</i> = 28). (4) Conclusions: TURBT is associated with marked enrichment of aromatic VOCs in the surgeon's breathing zone, supporting routine implementation of effective source-level smoke evacuation and filtration to reduce occupational exposure.