Tetrachloroethylene: development of a biologic standard for the industrial worker by breath analysis.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Forster HV ; Hake CL ; Lebrun AJ ; Stewart RD ; Wu JE
• Description:
  The development of a biologic standard for exposure of industrial workers to tetrachloroethylene (127184) (PCE), based on breath analysis, was carried out in a comprehensive study using human volunteers. Particular emphasis was placed on: 1) the subject's health, including measurements of pulmonary, cardiovascular, and central nervous system functions during repeated, controlled exposures to PCE vapor; and 2) the relationship of exposure magnitude to PCE body burden, as demonstrated by the measurement of PCE or its metabolites in blood, urine and breath. A baseline is presented for additional studies which are needed to assure a healthful working environment wherever this chemical is utilized. The observations made and the data collected are provided, and a recommendation is presented for a biologic threshold limit value for tetrachloroethylene utilizing breath analysis decay curves. It is concluded that: 1) repeated daily exposure to PCE result in a tachyphylactic response regarding subjective feelings and odor detection, rendering these parameters unreliable as measures of exposure concentration; 2) considerable individual differences exist is response to PCE vapor exposure; 3) EEG analysis indicates preliminary signs of narcosis in most subjects exposed to 100ppm PCE for 7 1/2 hours a day; impairment of coordination may occur at 150ppm exposure for 7 1/2 hours; 4) CNS response is probably due to PCE; 5) postexposure breath analysis is an excellent method to estimate magnitude of body burden; and 6) physical exercise increases body burden.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution, Indoor Environmental Monitoring Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Health Preceptorship Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Air-contaminants Analytical-methods Blood-chemistry Chlorinated-hydrocarbons Contract-099-72-0084 NIOSH-Contract Physiological-function Physiological-response Regulations Respiratory-functions Urine-chemistry

  More +
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Final Contract Report
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 5 ; Wisconsin
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-173
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00080672
• Citation:
  NIOSH 1975 Jun; :1-173
• CAS Registry Number:
  Tetrachloroethylene (CAS RN 127-18-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1975
• Performing Organization:
  The Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Environmental Medicine
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cde665a03302c91da18d58b1842bb83b578f96b5b2f39f3ac8681abcaedfce5271086e2466dfa78873d15b1ca7e4867954304caacc2d575b242b267db3e3b8b3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/178887/cdc_178887_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.98 MB ]