A clinical, neurophysiological and behavioral study of female workers exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Female subjects (22) working in a factory in which 1,1,1-trichloroethane was the only solvent used were investigated by means of clinical, neurophysiological and psychometric methods so that the neurotoxicity of the solvent could be evaluated. On the basis of ambient air concentrations of 1,1,1-trichloroethane ranging from 110-990 ppm, the workers were divided into 3 risk groups and compared with a reference group. No significant difference was observed between exposed and unexposed females with respect to clinical features, maximal motor conduction velocity, conduction velocity of slow fibers, and psychometric data. The most frequent complaints of the workers were of the neurotic type with a slightly higher, but not significant, difference in the exposed group. Results obtained favor the absence of a manifest neurotoxic effect of 1,1,1-trichloroethane under the specific work conditions of the investigation; generally unfavorable work conditions seem to have played a prominent role in the genesis of the neurotic complaints. The importance of a global methodological approach in the study of work-related risks, particularly in the neurological and psychological surveys, is stressed.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: