Triebig G, Lehrl S, Weltle D, Schaller K H, Valentin H
Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Br J Ind Med. 1989 Nov;46(11):799-804. doi: 10.1136/oem.46.11.799.
A cross sectional field study of workers exposed to styrene was performed to evaluate possible acute and chronic neurotoxic effects. A total of 36 workers of four companies handling polyester resin materials for one to 16 years (median: 7 years) and two control groups were each examined on a Monday. The control group 1 (formed to compare acute effects) consisted of 20 men from two companies with no exposure to neurotoxic chemicals. To compare chronic effects, a second control group was formed by "one to one matching" with respect to age, socioeconomic status, and pre-exposure intelligence level. Ambient air monitoring using active sampling (short time) and passive samplers (long time) showed styrene in air concentrations as follows: range 3-251 ppm (median: 18 ppm) and concentrations 140-600 ppm during lamination of the inside of boats. For biological monitoring the results were as follows (postshift samples: range/median): styrene in blood: 5-482 micrograms/dl (39 micrograms/dl), mandelic acid urine: 0.01-3.64 g/l (0.21 g/l), and phenylglyoxylic acid urine: 0.01-0.87 g/l (0.19 g/l). The clinical examination found no signs or symptoms of peripheral neuropathy or encephalopathy. The principal work related health complaints were acute, reversible irritation of the eyes that occurred after exposure to styrene concentrations of 200 ppm or more. The neurobehavioural tests showed no significant differences in acute effects (p greater than 0.05) between the two groups or between preshift and postshift testing. Nor were there any significant differences in the relevant neurobehavioural variables between the styrene workers and the controls. It is concluded that occupational exposure to styrene concentrations in air up to 100 ppm causes no adverse acute or chronic effects on the central nervous system.
开展了一项针对接触苯乙烯工人的横断面现场研究，以评估可能的急性和慢性神经毒性作用。周一，对4家处理聚酯树脂材料1至16年（中位数：7年）的公司的36名工人以及两个对照组进行了检查。对照组1（用于比较急性效应）由来自两家公司的20名未接触神经毒性化学物质的男性组成。为了比较慢性效应，通过年龄、社会经济地位和暴露前智力水平进行“一对一匹配”形成了第二个对照组。使用主动采样（短时间）和被动采样器（长时间）进行的环境空气监测显示，空气中苯乙烯浓度如下：范围为3 - 251 ppm（中位数：18 ppm），在船内部层压期间浓度为140 - 600 ppm。生物监测结果如下（班后样本：范围/中位数）：血液中苯乙烯：5 - 482微克/分升（39微克/分升），尿中扁桃酸：0.01 - 3.64克/升（0.21克/升），尿中苯乙醇酸：0.01 - 0.87克/升（0.19克/升）。临床检查未发现周围神经病变或脑病的体征或症状。与工作相关的主要健康投诉是在接触200 ppm或更高浓度苯乙烯后出现的急性、可逆性眼部刺激。神经行为测试显示，两组之间或班前和班后测试之间在急性效应方面无显著差异（p大于0.05）。苯乙烯工人与对照组之间在相关神经行为变量方面也无显著差异。得出的结论是，职业接触空气中高达100 ppm的苯乙烯浓度不会对中枢神经系统造成不良急性或慢性影响。
