Abstract

Many workers in the plastics sector are exposed to mutagenic contaminant mixtures. This project, a continuation of previous work (RS-80-06, RS-83-23, RS-83-30), investigated the consequences of mixed exposures to styrene and other organic solvents used as additives.

Human blood cells (lymphocytes) from humans and rats exposed to different concentrations of styrene, either alone or in combination with acrylonitrile, trichloroethylene or toluene, were analyzed in the laboratory. The mitotic index and rate of sister chromatid exchanges were used as indicators of the effect of the exposures.

The study determined whether mixed exposures to styrene and other organic solvents produces a greater effect than exposure to styrene alone, and established acceptable exposure levels for each combination of solvents.