Cytogenetic study of workers exposed to ethylene oxide: analysis of the sister chromatid exchange assay data with a discussion of occupational-exposure data

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6072074

Meinhardt, T; Carrano, A; Moore, D; Ashworth, L; Marlow, D

A survey of the cytogenetic effects of exposure to ethylene oxide was conducted on 43 workers in ethylene oxide production units and 27 workers in a quality-assurance laboratory who were exposed to ethylene oxide and other chemicals. Circulating lymphocytes were isolated and assayed for chromosomal aberrations. Median ethylene oxide exposures ranged from 0.14 to 10.9 parts per million (ppm) in the laboratory and 0.19 to 1.0 ppm in the production unit. No significant increase in the incidence of chromosomal aberrations occurred in the production unit workers. Increases in the incidence of chromatid deletions and exchanges, total chromatid aberrations, percent of abnormal cells, and total aberrations per cell occurred in the laboratory workers. Working in ethylene oxide production units may not cause a statistically significant increase in chromosomal aberrations. Work in the quality-assurance laboratory is associated with genotoxic effects; however, these cannot be attributed solely to ethylene oxide due to the complex nature of the working environments.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6072074
• Report Number(s): PB-89-145502/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550300 -- Cytology
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CARCINOGENS
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
FUMIGANTS
GENETIC EFFECTS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
MUTAGENS
MUTATIONS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PESTICIDES
SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES
SOMATIC CELLS
TOXICITY
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS