Dose-dependent neurologic abnormalities in workers exposed to 1-bromopropane.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the health effects of 1-bromopropane (1-BP) and its dose-dependency in 1-BP production factories in China.

METHODS

Data of 60 female and 26 male workers in three 1-BP factories and the same number of age-, sex-, and region-matched controls were interviewed and examined. The time-weighed average exposure levels of individual workers were estimated.

RESULTS

Regression analysis on exposure level showed dose-dependent increase in the distal latency of tibial nerve, threshold for vibration sense in toes, lactate dehydrogenase, thyroid stimulating hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone in female workers. The analysis also showed dose-dependent decrease in sensory nerve conduction velocity of the sural nerve, red blood cell, and hematocrit in female workers.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that exposure to 1-BP induces dose-dependent neurotoxicity in female workers.