Necessity for total trichloride compound measurement in screening tests for workers exposed to trichloroethylene or 1,1,1, -trichloroethane

Abstract

In 9 series of physical examinations legally required for trichloroethylene (TCE) workers, levels of urinary total trichloride compounds (TTC) were revealed to be generally high in 323 specimens, including 250 male ones, collected from a medium sized company. Sixty four specimens (19. 8%), including 56 male ones (22.4%), exceeded 300 mg/l which are regarded to correspond to the threshold limit for TCE in the air of the work site. Four specimens had over 900 mg/l. In all 323 specimens, however, no abnormalities were found with respect to specific gravity of blood, hemoglobin concentration and urinary tests. TTC concentration values increased in specimens in the last 4 physical checkups, compared with the values measured in the first 5. The cause of this increase seemed to be related to increases in the number of products and the hours of overtime work. Symptoms felt by these workers gradually subsided as they were continuously exposed to TCE for more than 2 or 3 years. Some workers of long service had a tendency toward addiction to TCE. In the legally required environmental monitoring of TCE, and other harmful organic solvents, the 8 workplaces fell into either classification 1 or 2, indicating that the environmental conditions are not harmful. More importantly, the above evaluations did not take into account long hours of overtime put in by those workers. Turning to the checkups of 1,1,1-trichloroethane workers, the results of legally required physical checkups and environmental monitoring were almost the same as those for TCE. In conclusion, it is necessary to introduce a urinary TTC analysis in the screening test of the physical checkups for TCE or 1,1,1-trichloroethane. © 1984, Japan Society for Occupational Health. All rights reserved.