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No association between benzene exposure and multiple myeloma
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significant reduction in seminal vesicle weight, while testis weight was reduced at 50 mg/kg body weight/day and above (Chapin R.E. et al., Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1997, 40,138).
No association between benzene exposure and multiple myeloma On the basis of a small number of case reports, it has been suggested that multiple myeloma (a malignant proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow) may be another benzene-induced disease. An analysis of 22 mortality studies involving over 250,000 petroleum workers in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia provides no evidence to support the contention. There were 205 deaths from this rare type of tumour, compared with an expected number (based on national mortality rates) of 221 (Wong O. and Raabe G.K., Regulatory ToxicologyandPhannacology 1997,26,188).
Solvent exposure impairs colour vision Impaired colour vision in the blue-green range was found in 24 workers at a German car factory. The workers were exposed to a mixture of solvents including xylene, toluene, ethyl benzene, propyl benzene, ethyl toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone and perchloroethylene. Workplace levels of the solvents were below the appropriate German occupational threshold limit values (Muttray A. et al., International Archives of Occupational and EnvironmentalHealth 1997, 70, 407).
Respiratory disease after exposure to triphenylmethane triisocyanate A case is presented of an Irishman who developed both asthma and lung inflammation (alveolitis) after occupational exposure to one of the less common isocyanates, triphenylmethane triisocyanate. Five months earlier, he had spent 4 days applying an adhesive in a confined space, with no respiratory or skin protection. While the development of asthma after isocyanate exposure is well recognized, the concurrent development of alveolitis was said to be unusual. The investigators were not aware of any other reports of acute or chronic respiratory disease in humans after exposure to this particular isocyanate (Buick J.B. and Todd G.R.G., Occupational Medicine 1997, 47, 504).
Respiratory and local effects from colophony fumes A HSE study of female workers in four UK electronics factories "highlights the health problems
151
arising from a known but sometimes neglected hazard", the fumes generated from cored solder wire containing the flux colophony. Among the 88 workers exposed for 37 hours each week or longer, over 60% complained of wheeziness, while over 30% and 20%, respectively, had nose and eye symptoms. These incidences were more than double those seen in the 44 workers exposed for less than 20 hours per week (palmer K. and Crane G., Occupational Medicine 1997, 47, 491).
Hexamethylphosphoramide-repeated oral toxicity in rats In a 9o-day study, respiratory tract lesions occurred in rats given 15 mg/kg body weight/day or greater orally, either via the drinking water or by stomach tube. There was some evidence of injury to the trachea (regenerated epithelium) in the rats receiving the lowest tested dose (about 1.5 mg/kg body weight/day). Testes injury was reported at 120 mg/kg body weight/day (Keller D.A. et aL, Fundamental and AppliedToxicology 1997, 40, 15).
Subchronic oral toxicity of p-nonylphenol In rats This high-volume chemical intermediate, which has shown weak oestrogenic activity in various in vitro and in vivo screening assays, gave no evidence of any hormonal action in a 9O-day feeding study in rats. The rats receiving up to 2000 ppm in the diet (around 150 mg/kg body weight/day) showed no treatment-related changes in the endocrine organs (weight or morphology), or in sperm parameters or oestrous cycling. Because there were signs of weak toxic effects at the top dose, the no-effect level was 50 mg/kg body weight/day (Cunny H.C. et aL, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 1997, 26, 172).
"Divinylbenzene" inhalation toxicity in mice Treatment-related changes in the nasal cavity, liver and kidneys (and some deaths) occurred when mice were exposed, 6 hrlday, 5 days/week for 2 weeks, to atmospheres containing a mixture of 75 ppm divinylbenzene and 60 ppm ethylvinylbenzene. Damage to the nose was evident even at the lowest tested concentration of 25 ppm d.ivinylbenzene and 20 ppm ethylvinylbenzene (Morgan D.L. et al., Fundamental and AppliedToxicology 1997, 39, 89).
3-Methyl-l-butanol and 2-methyl-lpropanol-90-day toxicity studies in rats Mild effects on the blood were observed in rats given the industrial solvent 3-methyl-l-butanol in
significant reduction in seminal vesicle weight, while testis weight was reduced at 50 mg/kg body weight/day and above (Chapin R.E. et al., Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1997, 40,138).
No association between benzene exposure and multiple myeloma On the basis of a small number of case reports, it has been suggested that multiple myeloma (a malignant proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow) may be another benzene-induced disease. An analysis of 22 mortality studies involving over 250,000 petroleum workers in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia provides no evidence to support the contention. There were 205 deaths from this rare type of tumour, compared with an expected number (based on national mortality rates) of 221 (Wong O. and Raabe G.K., Regulatory ToxicologyandPhannacology 1997,26,188).
Solvent exposure impairs colour vision Impaired colour vision in the blue-green range was found in 24 workers at a German car factory. The workers were exposed to a mixture of solvents including xylene, toluene, ethyl benzene, propyl benzene, ethyl toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone and perchloroethylene. Workplace levels of the solvents were below the appropriate German occupational threshold limit values (Muttray A. et al., International Archives of Occupational and EnvironmentalHealth 1997, 70, 407).
Respiratory disease after exposure to triphenylmethane triisocyanate A case is presented of an Irishman who developed both asthma and lung inflammation (alveolitis) after occupational exposure to one of the less common isocyanates, triphenylmethane triisocyanate. Five months earlier, he had spent 4 days applying an adhesive in a confined space, with no respiratory or skin protection. While the development of asthma after isocyanate exposure is well recognized, the concurrent development of alveolitis was said to be unusual. The investigators were not aware of any other reports of acute or chronic respiratory disease in humans after exposure to this particular isocyanate (Buick J.B. and Todd G.R.G., Occupational Medicine 1997, 47, 504).
Respiratory and local effects from colophony fumes A HSE study of female workers in four UK electronics factories "highlights the health problems
151
arising from a known but sometimes neglected hazard", the fumes generated from cored solder wire containing the flux colophony. Among the 88 workers exposed for 37 hours each week or longer, over 60% complained of wheeziness, while over 30% and 20%, respectively, had nose and eye symptoms. These incidences were more than double those seen in the 44 workers exposed for less than 20 hours per week (palmer K. and Crane G., Occupational Medicine 1997, 47, 491).
Hexamethylphosphoramide-repeated oral toxicity in rats In a 9o-day study, respiratory tract lesions occurred in rats given 15 mg/kg body weight/day or greater orally, either via the drinking water or by stomach tube. There was some evidence of injury to the trachea (regenerated epithelium) in the rats receiving the lowest tested dose (about 1.5 mg/kg body weight/day). Testes injury was reported at 120 mg/kg body weight/day (Keller D.A. et aL, Fundamental and AppliedToxicology 1997, 40, 15).
Subchronic oral toxicity of p-nonylphenol In rats This high-volume chemical intermediate, which has shown weak oestrogenic activity in various in vitro and in vivo screening assays, gave no evidence of any hormonal action in a 9O-day feeding study in rats. The rats receiving up to 2000 ppm in the diet (around 150 mg/kg body weight/day) showed no treatment-related changes in the endocrine organs (weight or morphology), or in sperm parameters or oestrous cycling. Because there were signs of weak toxic effects at the top dose, the no-effect level was 50 mg/kg body weight/day (Cunny H.C. et aL, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 1997, 26, 172).
"Divinylbenzene" inhalation toxicity in mice Treatment-related changes in the nasal cavity, liver and kidneys (and some deaths) occurred when mice were exposed, 6 hrlday, 5 days/week for 2 weeks, to atmospheres containing a mixture of 75 ppm divinylbenzene and 60 ppm ethylvinylbenzene. Damage to the nose was evident even at the lowest tested concentration of 25 ppm d.ivinylbenzene and 20 ppm ethylvinylbenzene (Morgan D.L. et al., Fundamental and AppliedToxicology 1997, 39, 89).
3-Methyl-l-butanol and 2-methyl-lpropanol-90-day toxicity studies in rats Mild effects on the blood were observed in rats given the industrial solvent 3-methyl-l-butanol in