Histology technician

Formaldehyde exposure is not known to cause neurobehavioral symptoms or disturbed mental of neurologic function. Kilburn et al., however, found that exposure by hospital histology technicians to formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene produced such effectsJ2°l No attempt was made to explain these results. 

Kilburn KH, Seidman BC, Warshaw R. Neurobehavioral and respiratory symptoms of formaldehyde and xylene exposure in histology technicians. Arch Environ Health 1985 (Jul/Aug) 40(4) 229-33. 

Kilburn KH, Warshaw R, Thronton JC, Husmark I. An examination of factor that could affect choice reaction time in histology technicians. AmJlndMed 1989 15(6) 679-86. 

Neurobehavioral symptoms, disturbed mental and neurological function, and respiratory symptoms were reported in histology technicians as a result of their exposure to formaldehyde (0.35), ethanol (-0.31), chloroform (1.97), toluene (2.73), and xylene (3.15). The symptoms observed could not be attributed to the individual chemicals at the low levels of exposure J52l This study illustrates the propensity of some lipophilic-hydrophilic... 

Respiratory symptoms, including chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing, were reported for histology technicians as a result of their exposure to the following chemicals ... 

Histology technicians exposed to formaldehyde (Kow = 0.35) and xylene (Kovi/ = 3.15) or toluene (Kow = 2.73) exhibit symptoms of neurobehavioral impairment of memory, judgment, and equilibrium J104 These effects cannot be attributed to the individual chemicals in the mixtures. 

In a study of hospital histology technicians it was found that these workers had greater disturbances of memory, mood, equilibrium, and sleep and had greater frequencies of headaches than other unexposed clerical workers in the same hospitals. The chemicals they were exposed to included... 

The histology technicians were regularly exposed to mixtures of formaldehyde toluene, and xylene and less frequently to ethanol, chloroform, and methyl methacrylate. All exposures were at levels below TLVs for the individual chemicals and below levels at which the neurotoxic effects that were observed are expected. All the mixtures to which the histology technicians were exposed contained at least one lipophile and one hydrophile. 

Kilbum KH, Warshaw RH. 1992. Neurobehavioral effects of formaldehyde and solvents on histology technicians Repeated testing across time. Environ Res 58 134-146. 

Kilbum KH, Warshaw R, Thornton JC. 1987. Formaldehyde impairs memory, equilibrium and dexterity in histology technicians Effects which persist for days after exposure. Arch Environ Health 42 117-120. 

Kilbum KH, Warshaw R, Thornton JC. 1989. Pulmonary function in histology technicians compared with women from Michigan effects of chronic low dose formaldehyde on a national sample of women. Br J Ind Med 46 468-472. 

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