Fluorocarbon 113 exposure and cardiac dysrhythmias among aerospace workers

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700220607· OSTI ID:6820954

Egeland, G M; Bloom, T F; Schnorr, T M; Hornung, R W; Suruda, A J; Wille, K K ^[1]

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1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

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.

• OSTI ID: 6820954
• Journal Information: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States), Journal Name: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States) Vol. 22:6; ISSN AJIMD8; ISSN 0271-3586
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CARDIOGRAPHY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIAGRAMS
ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS
FREONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HEART
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
SPACE FLIGHT
TOXICITY