A health survey of workers in the pentachlorophenol section of a chemical manufacturing plant.

Abstract

During 1968 to 1985, 109 workers who had been engaged in the production of pentachlorophenol, using non-gamma isomers of hexachloroclohexane (BHC) as the raw material, were surveyed. Endemic chloracne among them had been noted since 1974. The prevalence of chloracne was 73.4% (80/109) in total and 95.2% (20/21) in a trichlorobenzene (TCB) tank area where dioxin and dibenzofurans levels were thousands of ppm. To our knowledge, PCDDs and PCDFs have not previously been reported from thermal decomposition of BHC. Urinary porphyrins were significantly higher among exposed workers than among the controls but there was no significant difference between the workers with chloracne and those without. The conduction velocities of the median motor nerves were much slower among the workers in the TCB tank area where the highest PCDDs contamination appeared. The mortality study cohort was relatively young. Based on the three deaths observed during the follow-up, no association could be drawn.

• Authors: W N Cheng, P J Coenraads, Z H Hao, G F Liu
• Journal: American journal of industrial medicine (Am J Ind Med) Vol. 24 Issue 1 Pg. 81-92 (Jul 1993) ISSN: 0271-3586 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8352294 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Chlorobenzenes
• Porphyrins
• trichlorobenzene
• Aminolevulinic Acid
• Pentachlorophenol

Topics

• Acne Vulgaris (chemically induced, epidemiology, urine)
• Aminolevulinic Acid (urine)
• Chemical Industry (statistics & numerical data)
• China (epidemiology)
• Chlorobenzenes (adverse effects)
• Health Surveys
• Humans
• Male
• Neural Conduction
• Occupational Diseases (chemically induced, epidemiology, physiopathology, urine)
• Pentachlorophenol (adverse effects)
• Porphyrins (urine)