CARBON-DISULFIDE .2. EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL EXPOSURE TO CARBON-DISULFIDE OF WORKERS IN THE VISCOSE INDUSTRY

Carbon disulphide (CS2), a reagent of rayon production, is known for i ts high toxic potential and has therefore been the subject of many cli nical studies. The aims of the study presented here were to determine the effective exposure to CS2 and to compare the validity of the diffe rent exposure indicators. Internal and external exposure to CS2 was in vestigated in 362 male workers of a viscose factory. The CS2 air conce ntrations measured through stationary air monitoring in five different work areas (n = 39) were compared with the values of active personal air monitoring (n = 51) and passive personal air monitoring (n = 352). In addition, in all investigations biological monitoring was carried out by measuring the 2-thio-1,3-thiazolidine-carboxylic acid (TTCA) ex cretion in urine. A significant correlation was found between the data for active and passive personal air sampling (y = 0.99, x + 0.31, r = 0.968). The results of the stationary measurements led, however, to v alues which were systematically too low. The validity of TTCA excretio n in urine as a parameter of biological monitoring could for the first time be verified in a large sample of subjects. There was a linear co rrelation between TTCA values in the urine related to both volume and creatinine [y (TTCAmg/g creatinine) = 0.315 x (ml CS2/m3 air) + 0.59] and the CS2 values in the air. Nevertheless, TTCA excretion proved to be dependent upon creatinine so that the excreted amounts related to c reatinine described the individual exposure more exactly.