Elsevier

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Volume 12, Issue 6, November–December 1990, Pages 665-668
Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Neurobehavioral effects of acute styrene exposure in fiberglass boatbuilders

https://doi.org/10.1016/0892-0362(90)90083-OGet rights and content

Abstract

A field investigation of the effects of acute exposure to styrene among fiberglass boatbuilders was performed. Personal samples of styrene in breathing zone air and postshift urinary mandelic acid were collected for 105 workers exposed and not exposed to styrene in 6 fiberglass boatbuilding companies in New England. Three tests from the computerized Neurobehavioral Evaluation System (NES) were performed by the subjects in the morning before exposure to styrene, near midday, and at the end of the work day. Duration of exposure averaged 2.9 years (SD=4.6), 8-hour TWA styrene exposure averaged 29.9 ppm (SD=36.2), and urinary mandelic acid averaged 347 mg/g creatinine (SD=465). Regression analyses indicated a statistically significant relationship between postshift performance on the Symbol-Digit test and both acute styrene exposure and mandelic acid. Other analyses comparing workers exposed to less than 50 ppm and greater than 50 ppm styrene also showed a significant effect on Symbol-Digit performance. All three NES tests showed test-retest correlation coefficients above .80, and ease of use for collection of neurobehavioral data under field conditions was demonstrated.

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    Citation Excerpt :

    Its 2012 annual production was estimated to be 27 million tons [1]. Its main applications are related to the production of polystyrene and copolymers (e.g. ABS and SBR rubber) [2], and synthetic composite resins like fiberglass [3–5]. Fiberglass is widely used in the ship industry, since its mechanical and chemical properties make it suitable for long term application in highly reactive environments, such as seawater [6].

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Presented at the 2nd Meeting of the International Neurotoxicology Association, Sitges, Spain, May 22–26, 1989.

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