skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Fluorocarbon 113 exposure and cardiac dysrhythmias among aerospace workers

Abstract

We investigated the cardiotoxic effects of 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2- Trifluoroethane (fluorocarbon 113 or FC113) exposures among healthy workers cleaning rocket and ground support equipment for the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) programs. Exposure and ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring data were evaluated on 16 workers, each of whom was examined on exposed and nonexposed workdays. We examined whether there was a greater rate of dysrhythmias on an exposed workday relative to a nonexposed workday. Overall, we found no within subject differences in the rate of ventricular and supraventricular premature beats (number per 1,000 heart beats), fluctuations in the length of the P-R interval, or heart rate. We found that levels of FC113 exposures below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA) standard of 1,000 ppm did not induce cardiac dysrhythmias or subtle changes in cardiac activity. However, because fluorocarbons may sensitize the heart to epinephrine, this study's negative findings based on sedentary and fairly healthy workers may not be generalizable to other populations of workers who are not as healthy or engaged in more physically demanding work.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6820954
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 22:6; Journal ID: ISSN 0271-3586
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; FREONS; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE; HEART; SPACE FLIGHT; CARDIOGRAPHY; ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS; TOXICITY; BODY; CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM; DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES; DIAGRAMS; HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; ORGANS; 551000* - Physiological Systems; 550500 - Metabolism; 560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology

Citation Formats

Egeland, G M, Bloom, T F, Schnorr, T M, Hornung, R W, Suruda, A J, and Wille, K K. Fluorocarbon 113 exposure and cardiac dysrhythmias among aerospace workers. United States: N. p., 1992. Web. doi:10.1002/ajim.4700220607.
Egeland, G M, Bloom, T F, Schnorr, T M, Hornung, R W, Suruda, A J, & Wille, K K. Fluorocarbon 113 exposure and cardiac dysrhythmias among aerospace workers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700220607
Egeland, G M, Bloom, T F, Schnorr, T M, Hornung, R W, Suruda, A J, and Wille, K K. 1992. "Fluorocarbon 113 exposure and cardiac dysrhythmias among aerospace workers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700220607.
@article{osti_6820954,
title = {Fluorocarbon 113 exposure and cardiac dysrhythmias among aerospace workers},
author = {Egeland, G M and Bloom, T F and Schnorr, T M and Hornung, R W and Suruda, A J and Wille, K K},
abstractNote = {We investigated the cardiotoxic effects of 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2- Trifluoroethane (fluorocarbon 113 or FC113) exposures among healthy workers cleaning rocket and ground support equipment for the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) programs. Exposure and ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring data were evaluated on 16 workers, each of whom was examined on exposed and nonexposed workdays. We examined whether there was a greater rate of dysrhythmias on an exposed workday relative to a nonexposed workday. Overall, we found no within subject differences in the rate of ventricular and supraventricular premature beats (number per 1,000 heart beats), fluctuations in the length of the P-R interval, or heart rate. We found that levels of FC113 exposures below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA) standard of 1,000 ppm did not induce cardiac dysrhythmias or subtle changes in cardiac activity. However, because fluorocarbons may sensitize the heart to epinephrine, this study's negative findings based on sedentary and fairly healthy workers may not be generalizable to other populations of workers who are not as healthy or engaged in more physically demanding work.},
doi = {10.1002/ajim.4700220607},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6820954}, journal = {American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States)},
issn = {0271-3586},
number = ,
volume = 22:6,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}