[Toxicity of volatile thermal degradation products of conveyer belts studied in guinea pigs].

The toxicity to guinea pigs of the thermal degradation products of conveyor belts, preliminarily filtered through mining gas-mask container, has been tested. The smoke from rubber belts was more toxic than that from polyvinyl chloride. Addition of coal during burning decreased the toxicity of smoke. The test products caused an increase in serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, and pulmonary emphysema and edema. In the animals that survived the early period post intoxication, bronchopneumonia as well as pneumonia of parenchymatous type and small degeneration lesions in the liver and kidney have been found.