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Occupational poisoning by trichlorethylne

Sven Forssman ; National Institute of Public Health, Tomteboda, Sweden

Sažetak

Trichlarethylene is widely used as a solvent in various indutries. Among the chlorinated hydrocarbons it is one of the least toxic. Inhalation of trichlorethylene vapors may cause both acute and chronic intoxications. The symptoms in the acute intoxication axe slight irritation of the mucous membranes, dizziness, headache and fatigue, later unconsciousness and in severe cases death due to medullary paralysis. A worker who is daily exposed to a sufficient quantity of trichlorethylene fumes may be chronically more or less strongly affected, which manifests itself as a slight intoxication with fatigue, sleepiness and so forth. If, however, the exposure comes to an end, the symptoms soon disappear. Even if this exposure is repeated daily for years, with almost constant symptoms, these should scarcely be designated as a chronic poisoning, but instead as repeated slight acute poisonings or as »chronic trichlorethylene effect«. In certain cases, however, the symptoms remain for some time after the exposure has come to an end. Probably only these cases are justly to be designated as chronic poisoning. A part of the trichlorethylene absorbed Is excreted with the urine 36 trichloracetic acid. In the urine from exposed workers concentrations as high as 500 mg of trichloracetic acid/litre urine more not unusual. There is probably a rotation between the degree of intoxication and the concentration of trichloracetic acid in urine in continuously exposed workers. The urine concentration thus seems to be valuable indicator on the degree of exposure. The constant exposure to trichlorethylene, which gives rise to an excretion of trichloracetic acid of less than 20 mg per litre urine, does not entail, or entails only in exceptional cases, any definite trchlorethylene effects, whereas with urine-values of over 20 mg/l one sees such effects in an increasing percentage of cases directly proportional to the excretion. Thus, with values of between 40 and 75 mg per litre, such effects occur in about half of the cases, and with an excretion exceeding 100 mg, trichlorethylene effects are very common. In cases with more than 200 mg/litre urine the symptoms may be of such an intensity that sickleave may be necessary. Preventive measures are described.

Ključne riječi

Hrčak ID:

189404

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/189404

Datum izdavanja:

26.9.1950.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: hrvatski

Posjeta: 1.333 *