Toluene hepatotoxicity

Boewer, C., Enderlein, G., Wollgast, U., Nawka, S., Palowski, H., Bleiber, R. Epidemiological study on the hepatotoxicity of occupational toluene exposure. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 1988 60 181-186... 

Dossing and Ranek reported on liver damage in chemical workers exposed to low levels of carbon disulfide, isopropanol, toluene, and other chemicals in trace quantities. The researchers suggested that the liver injury was caused by the combined action of organic solvents and compared it to the known synergistic effect of isopropanol on the hepatotoxic-ity of carbon tetrachloride. I26 ... 

A study of petrochemical workers exposed to a mixture of benzene (2.13), toluene (2.73), and xylene (3.15), each below its TLV (and total VOCs below all three individual TLVs) produced hepatotoxic effects. No reason for the observed effect was offered, but it was concluded that exposure to low level aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures can cause liver damage. 43 ... 

While the halogenated hydrocarbons discussed here include carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, 1,1,1-trichloroefliene, trichloroethylene are significantly hepatotoxic, the literature on the toxicity of the non-halogenated hydrocarbons is a combination of positive and negative studies. Several studies looking into the hepatotoxicity of both aliphatic solvents such as kerosene, hexane and aromatics such as xylene, toluene and styrene have reported mixed results. Xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon which is used heavily in the industry, as well as medical technology as a solvent. 

Toluene, benzene and xylenes are generally considered to have limited hepatotoxicity.Exposure to xylene is reported to cause mild steatosis. Exposure to a mixture of solvents, inclusive of xylene and toluene have been reported to produce elevated serum bile acids. ... 

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