Abstract

This literature review, primarily addressed to specialists in the health and safety network, describes the nature of endotoxins, their health effects, the type of workplaces where they are likely to be found, proposed exposure limits, and appropriate sampling and analytical methods.

Endotoxins are toxic macromolecules found on the external surface of the cell membrane of certain bacteria. They are present on practically everything we eat or touch. While harmless if ingested, they may be hazardous if inhaled, and several studies consider them a major contributor to certain occupational diseases. The clinical responses to endotoxins include fever, cough, nausea, and respiratory tract congestion; in some cases, a dose-response curve has been established.

High concentrations of endotoxins may be found at potato processing plants, grain farms, animal-litter factories, and fibreglass plants. In general, the presence of endotoxins should be suspected in any workplace at which Gram-negative bacteria have been detected. Sampling methods for endotoxins are the same as those used for dusts, while the preferred analytical method is the chromogenic LAL test, soon to be available from the IRSST laboratories.