Fibrogenic potentials of coal slags used as abrasive blasting substitutes.

This study was designed to examine the fibrogenic potentials of four coal slags that are being used as substitutes for silica sand in abrasive blasting. Six groups of 100 male Sprague-Dawley rats, including four coal slag groups, a vehicle control, and a positive control for fibrosis (Minusil quartz), were used. Each dust treatment group was given a single 40-mg dose of test agent via intratracheal instillation. Interim sacrifices of 15 animals per group were performed at 2 d, 3 mo, and 6 mo posttreatment, with the terminal sacrifice conducted at 12 mo. Hematoxylin and eosin stained histologic sections were prepared from designated formalin-fixed tissues collected at each necropsy and examined microscopically. Pulmonary silicon analyses were performed for each group at the 2-d and 12-mo sacrifices. Pulmonary function analyses were conducted for each group at the 3-, 6-, and 12-mo sacrifices. Lung hydroxyproline analyses were conducted for 15 animals in each group at the terminal sacrifice. The pulmonary fibrogenic potentials of the four coal slag groups were compared histologically with the Minusil and vehicle controls. A mild to moderate interstitial fibrosis, which was progressive with time, was noted in each of the coal slag groups. However, the coal slag-induced lung fibrosis was much less than that produced by Minusil. Differences in fibrosis among the individual coal slags were relatively minor and certainly not as striking as those between the slags and Minusil. Other data derived from this study, such as lung hydroxyproline content, pulmonary particulate burdens, pulmonary function, and animal body weights, provided further evidence of a reduced toxicity for the coal slags compared to Minusil.

Effects of elemental mercury exposure at a thermometer plant.

This study compares 84 mercury-exposed workers at a thermometer manufacturing facility with 79 unexposed workers for evidence of chronic mercury toxicity. Personal breathing-zone air concentrations of mercury ranged from 25.6 to 270.6 micrograms/m3 for thermometer workers. Urinary mercury levels in the study population ranged from 1.3 to 344.5 micrograms/g creatinine, with eight (10%) participants exceeding 150 micrograms/g creatinine and three workers exceeding 300 micrograms/g creatinine, which indicates increased absorption of mercury among the thermometer workers. All urine mercury levels in the comparison group were compatible with normal background levels in unexposed adults (less than 10 micrograms/g creatinine). Thermometer plant workers reported more symptoms than did controls; in general, these differences were not statistically significant and could not be specifically associated with mercury exposure. Static tremor, abnormal Romberg test, dysdiadochokinesia, and difficulty with heel-to-toe gait were more prevalent among thermometer workers than control workers, which could not be associated with recent mercury exposure; there was some suggestion of an association with chronic exposure. There were no intergroup differences for the standard clinical tests of renal function except for a significantly higher mean specific gravity among the thermometer workers. A positive correlation was found, however, between urinary N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and urinary mercury. There was no consistent evidence for intergroup differences in proximal renal tubule function, as measured by urinary beta 2-microglobulin (B2M) or retinol binding protein (RBP).

Body burden profiles of single and mixed solvent exposures.

The dynamics of inhaled solvents have not been studied extensively for exposure conditions involving combinations of chemical agents. An ongoing laboratory study examining psychomotor performance effects on human volunteers exposed to spray paint agents offered an opportunity to gather data on the body burden profiles produced by the inhalation of two solvents alone and in combination. Breath and blood samples were collected from 70 male and female subjects who were randomly assigned to four treatment conditions: chemical placebo, 250 ppm acetone, 200 ppm methyl ethyl ketone, or 125 ppm acetone/100 ppm methyl ethyl ketone. The exposures lasted for four hours. No interaction between the two solvents affecting uptake or elimination was noted. There were no significant differences between the uptake and elimination in males and females. The results are discussed in relation to physiological simulation modeling of the exposure.

Subchronic inhalation toxicity of isobutyl nitrite in BALB/c mice. I. Systemic toxicity.

The effects of subchronic inhalation exposure to isobutyl nitrite (IBN) on body weight, selected organ weights, hematology, and gross pathology and histopathology of BALB/c mice were evaluated. Mice of both sexes were exposed at 0, 20, 50, or 300 ppm IBN for 6.5 h/d, 5 d/wk for up to 18 wk. Most changes in measured indices occurred in mice exposed at 300 ppm IBN and included decreased thymus weight (females); decreased liver weight (males); decreased white blood cell counts (males); mild focal hyperplasia and vacuolization of the epithelium lining bronchi and bronchioles of the lungs (males and females). Organ weight and hematologic changes, however, were not accompanied by any observed histologic changes. In addition, elevated methemoglobin concentrations were detected in mice of both sexes exposed at 50 and 300 ppm IBN. Body weights were not adversely affected by exposure. These data suggest that mild tissue injury, restricted to the lung, and methemoglobinemia are the major toxic effects observed following exposures of mice to IBN at concentrations up to 300 ppm for 18 wk. No treatment-related effects were noted in mice exposed at 20 or 50 ppm IBN, except for slight elevations in methemoglobin concentrations in mice exposed at 50 ppm.

Methyl chloride and diazepam effects on performance.

Human behavioral effects resulting from the ingestion of an average dose of diazepam and from 3 h of inhaling either 100 ppm or 200 ppm of methyl chloride (MeCl) were studied in the laboratory. Each of 56 volunteers was randomly assigned to one of six groups comprising the combinations of diazepam and placebo and one of the two levels of MeCl plus control. Each individual was tested in an environmental room on three tasks involving components of eye-hand coordination, mental alertness, and time discrimination. Both pretreatment and treatment data were obtained. Diazepam produced a significant 10% impairment in task performance, whereas the effect of 200 ppm of MeCl was marginally significant (average performance impairment of 4.5%). When the two agents were combined, total impairment was equal to the sum of the individually induced losses. Large interindividual differences in breath and blood levels were found for MeCl.