Health hazard evaluation report HETA 81-385-1659, Texaco Chemical Company, Port Neches, Texas

Technical Report · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5121439

Meinhardt, T

Following a request was made by the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, genotoxicity associated with occupational exposures to ethylene oxide at the Texaco Chemical Company, Port Neches, Texas, was evaluated. Blood and industrial hygiene samples were collected. The annual mean exposure to ethylene oxide in the production departments had been 1.73 parts per million (ppm) or less during the period from 1978 through 1982, with short-term peak exposures over 100ppm. Analyses of the chromosomal aberrations (CA) and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) data suggest that the exposures appear to produce marginally significant increases in the group mean SCE frequency per chromosome per cell in nonsmokers compared to control nonsmokers. The author concludes that these exposures are not associated with an overwhelming increase in genotoxicity effect. Significant elevations observed in both the group mean SCE frequency per chromosome per cell and in group mean transformed CA frequency of lab workers compared to those frequencies observed in referents can not be attributed solely to ethylene oxide due to the complex nature of the working environment. As a potential occupational carcinogen, exposure to ethylene oxide is to be reduced to the lowest extent possible.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5121439
• Report Number(s): PB-86-221579/XAB; HETA-81-385-1659
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

552000* -- Public Health
560306 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
CARCINOGENS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
CHROMOSOMES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
MUTAGENS
MUTATIONS
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
SAFETY
SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES
TOXICITY