Toxicological evaluation of materials from the H-Coal pilot plant
It appears that acute exposure to most of the substances H-Coal workers are likely to encounter is not apt to cause serious acute health problems. The predominant observed health effects among synfuels pilot plant workers in recent years have included eye irritation, dermatitis, and thermal burns (NIOSH, 1981). The worker population is too small and the duration of exposure too short to rule out long term effects, however. Testing of samples from the H-Coal pilot plant substantiated the results of testing earlier PDU samples. Those samples containing high boiling point substances were found to have dermal carcinogenic activity, to be mutagenic to Salmonella, and to have toxic and slight teratogenic effects on Xenopus. The fact that the heavy fuel oils are several times more tumorigenic than a reference whole natural petroleum crude oil suggests that more care may need to be taken to guard against worker exposure than in a conventional refinery. The increase in tumorigenicity at higher exposure rates also indicates the importance of minimizing worker exposure. Research is needed to determine whether there is an interaction between PAH-bearing oils and exposure to sunlight (coincident or not) that results in enhancing the tumorigenicity of the oils. Preliminary testing of means to reduce or eliminate the compound classes with adverse toxicological effects has begun with studies of the effects of hydrotreatment (Epler et al., 1981; Griest et al., 1983). Further work with less expensive treatment or upgrading options may be warranted. 50 references, 6 figures, 20 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5989431
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-9197; ON: DE85007309
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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