This study attempted to determine whether cold box core makers exposed to
triethylamine in foundries experienced
headaches or had elevated blood pressure more often than workers without
TEA exposure, as proposed by earlier reports. Forty-one core makers in three foundries and 82 referents were interviewed according to a structured questionnaire, and their blood pressure was measured.
TEA exposure was determined from breathing-zone measurements. The 8-h time-weighted average
TEA exposure varied between 0.3-60 mg/m3. The core makers did not report that they had the general symptoms of
headaches more often than the referents. However, they had mild weekly
headaches more often (44% vs. 17%). The core makers also reported
headaches more often during the workweeks (45% vs. 19%). It seems likely that
TEA exposure provokes mild
headache among persons prone to suffer from
vascular headaches. There was no difference in the occurrence of severe
headaches or in the duration of
headaches between the groups. The blood pressures were similar in both groups.