NEUROTOXICITY OF LONG-TERM LOW-LEVEL EXPOSURE TO CARBON-DISULFIDE - RESULTS OF QUESTIONNAIRE, CLINICAL NEUROLOGICAL EXAMINATION AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

Objective. Carbon disulphide (CS2) is highly neurotoxic. There is ampl e evidence of damage to the peripheral and central nervous system. The air concentration at which such adverse effects can first be observed is presently a subject of controversy. Methods. In a cross-sectional study of CS2-exposed workers from the viscose industry and healthy con trols, data on neurological complaints, basic laboratory diagnosis, cl inical neurological examination and neuropsychological testing were ev aluated. Data were from 222 workers in the viscose industry exposed to CS, and 191 employees from the same factory with similar physical and psychological stress factors but without occupational contact with ne urotoxic substances. Multiple linear or multiple logistic regression a nalysis was used to check for statistical differences. Results. The me dian of the CS2-measurements using personal air sampling was below the current maximum concentration permissible (MAK value) in Germany (10 ppm) in all departments. The threshold limit value was, however, excee ded in almost 10% of the persons investigated. Exposure fluctuated bet ween < 0.2 and 65.7 ppm (median of all departments was 4.02 ppm). As a parameter of internal exposure, CS2-metabolite 2-thio-1,3-thiazolidin e-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) concentrations in the urine of the exposed persons were between < 0.16 and 10.9 mg/g creatinine (median 1.43 mg/g . Conclusions. Neither an increase in subjective complaints nor an inc rease in pathological findings in clinical-neurological and neuropsych ological examination could be found in persons exposed to CS, at the e xposure levels described,