Principles of Toxicological Interactions Associated with Multiple Chemical Exposures.
Abstract
On a typical day, a U.S. Coast Guard inspector may enter confined spaces on as many as five vessels. Because each of these ships may have carried different cargoes, an inspector could be exposed to a mixture of vapors from five different chemicals. An inspector may be exposed almost daily to benzene, various nitriles, methanol, caustic soda, carbon tetrachloride, vinyl chloride, and ammonia with exposure time varying from a few minutes to 2 hours. Although permissible levels (threshold limit values) have been established for these vapors and must be attained before marine personnel can enter a confined space, the Coast Guard has become increasingly concerned about the interactions that might accrue from these exposures and possibly result in deleterious health effects. In 1978, the Coast Guard ask the National Academy of Sciences for guidance on this problem. One portion of this request called for evaluation of possible synergism among certain chemicals during chronic exposures to low concentrations. To perform this task, a Panel on Evaluation of Hazards Associated with Maritime Personnel Exposed to Multiple Cargo Vapors was formed. This report is a first attempt to assess the added hazards, if any, to marine inspectors who are occupationally exposed to multiple chemicals.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA093809
Entities
Organizations
- National Research Council