[Immunological variants and free radical characteristics of workers exposed to epoxy resins]. / Varianty immunologicheskykh i svobodnoradikal'nykh kharakteristik rabochikh, kontaktiruiushchikh s epoksidnymi smolami.

Workers on exposure to epoxy resins (ER) have been shown to reveal several variants of immunogrammes of blood, expression of Fas-ligands and oxygen-dependent metabolism of phagocytes. These are as follows: the immune deficiency variant (38.1%), the autoimmune one (33.3%), the state of norm (28.6%). The blood phagocyte oxygen-dependent metabolism tends towards activation but the phagocyte functional reserve is reduced which facts suggest depression of metabolism and phagocytic defence in the organism. Identified in the study are several variants of kinetic parameters of the blood serum chemiluminescence suggesting activation/inhibition of process of free radical oxidation, strengthening/weakening of the blood antioxidant defence, which events can be regarded as early diagnostic and prognostic criteria of adverse effects of epoxy resins on the organism of those handling them. These data suggest to us an insufficient reliability of the existing maximum permissible concentration of epoxy resins in the air of the working zone and attest to the need for its reconsideration.

[The state of specific functions in female workers subjected to exposure to epoxy resins and to epoxy resin-based polymeric materials during work activities (the data from a medical examination)]. / Sostoianie spetsificheskikh funktsii u rabotnits, podvergaiushchikhsia vozdeistviiu époksidnykh smol i polimernykh materialov na ikh osnove v protsesse trudovoi deiatel'nosti (dannye meditsinskogo osmotra).

Our in-plant hygienic observations permitted ascertaining that female workers engaged in the manufacture of epoxy-based polymeric materials are exposed to a complex of adverse factors. Gynecological and extragenital pathologies are most prevalent as are disorders in specific functions of the female organism. It is considered necessary that a complex of practical, sanitary and hygienic, and treatment and prophylactic measures be implemented in order that disturbances in specific functions of the female organism might be prevented, values for the prevalence of gynecological and extragenital pathologies decreased. Hormonal colpocytoscopy is warranted in early diagnosis of the menstrual disorders.

[The embryotoxic and teratogenic action of some brands of epoxy resins]. / Ob émbriotoksicheskom i teratogennom deistvii nekotorykh marok époksidnykh smol.

The studies made permit stating that such epoxy resins as DE-500 with dose levels of 1/10 and 1/50 DL50, DE-1000 with 1/10, 1/50, 1/100, 1/250 DL50, UP-650, UP-650T with 1/10 DL50 administered into the stomach of pregnant females of nondescript albino rats from the 1st to the 19th day of pregnancy (DL50 being 5338 +/- 1134, 6644 +/- 1114, 9180 +/- 1154, 7717 +/- 586, 6980 +/- 621 mg/kg for the resins DE-500, DE-1000, DE-2000, UP-650, UP-650T respectively) have embryotoxic as well as teratogenic effects. The embryotoxic effect of the above epoxy resins depends on the dose administered and their chemical structure. These same embryotoxic and teratogenic effects a need to be taken into consideration in scientific substantiation/revision of hygienic regulations for polyoxipropilene diepoxides and alicyclic epoxy resins.

[The cytogenetic activity of some brands of epoxy resins]. / O tsitogeneticheskoi aktivnosti nekotorykh marok époksidnykh smol.

The studies have allow us to ascertain that some epoxy resins, such as DE-500, DE-1000, DE-2000, UP-650, UP-650T, under gastric administration at the dose levels of 1/10 and 1/50 DL50 (DL50 = 5338 +/- 1134, 6644 +/- 1114, 9180 +/- 1154, 7717 +/- 586, 6980 +/- 621 mg/kg for DE-500, DE-1000, DE-2000, UP-650, UP-650T respectively) and ED-22F under inhalational exposure at 1 mg/m3 as per epichlorhydrine over three to four months, have a striking effect on the chromosomal apparatus of the laboratory animals bone marrow cells, bringing about chromosomal structural aberrations. The cytogenetic activity was found to be dependent upon the dose employed as well as duration of the exposure and chemical structure of the epoxy resins.