A review of health effects of carbon disulfide in viscose industry and a proposal for an occupational exposure limit

Abstract

Occupational exposure limits (OELs) for carbon disulfide vary between 1 and 10 ppm worldwide. They are generally based on health effects observed in viscose industry. Publications after the mid-1970s are reviewed to determine whether there is a scientific justification for an OEL below 10 ppm. The exposure situation in viscose industry is governed by long exposure durations, high exposures in past decades, high peak exposures, former analytical procedures underestimating exposure, and shift work. Three approaches were used to define an OEL based on workplace data: (1) Division of a cumulative exposure index by lifetime exposure duration. This approach ignores the possible existence of a threshold and fails to differentiate between brief high and sustained low exposures. (2) Defining the NOEL/LOEL by mean exposure levels. With a wide range of exposures, effects observed at the mean are driven by high exposures underestimating the true NOEL. (3) Assessment of effects observed at workplaces complying with a predefined exposure limit. Without adverse effects at such a limit this should be the starting point to define the OEL. The most important health effects for carbon disulfide are coronary heart disease, coronary risk factors, retinal angiopathy, color discrimination, effects on peripheral nerves, psychophysiological effects, morphological and other central nervous system (CNS) effects, and fertility and hormonal effects. The data generally support an OEL of 10 ppm. Some uncertainties exist for effects on electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate, retinal microaneurysms (in Japanese workers), peripheral nerve conduction velocities, some psychophysiological parameters, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; hyperintensive spots), and hearing function. Further investigations on workers under defined long-term exposure conditions might help to come to a final conclusion. Finally, the reproductive capacity of female workers may not be adequately protected at exposures around 10 ppm.

Bacterial CS2 Hydrolases from Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans Strains Are Homologous to the Archaeal Catenane CS2 Hydrolase

“…The max values were determined by increasing the medium flow and simultaneously increasing the [CS 2 ] supplied to the reactors up to and beyond the point where S 0 formation started becoming visible in the reactors. Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum DSM19304 was grown at 28°C, with shaking at 200 rpm, as 10-ml cultures in 120-ml bottles closed with butyl rubber stoppers, on DSMZ medium 1180, and containing 15 ml CH 4 . Halopiger xanaduensis DSM18323 was grown in Erlenmeyer flasks at 37°C and shaking at 200 rpm in the medium described in reference 28.…”

“…This is due for a great part to the use of CS 2 as an organic solvent in the viscose and rayon industry, which brings with it a number of problems. First, CS 2 is toxic, causing vascular and coronary heart disease and affecting the central nervous system (4). Second, due to its low boiling point, large CS 2 -polluted airstreams are created in factory plants and require treatment before release to the atmosphere.…”

Role of Endoplasmic reticulum apoptotic pathway in testicular Sertoli cells injury induced by Carbon disulfide

“…It was even ranked as a high priority hazardous air pollutant in Clean Air Act in the United States (Vanhoorne et al, 1994). This is because CS 2 has toxic effects on almost all systems, particularly on nervous system, cardiovascular system and reproductive system (Tan et al, 2003;Gelbke et al, 2009;Luo et al, 2011). Among those toxic effects, the injury on male reproductive system has recently raised public attention.…”

Carbon disulfide. Just toxic or also bioregulatory and/or therapeutic?

“…2010) for use in the rayon and cellophane, oil and gas, agricultural, and metal ore processing industries. 18,19 It has been used in production of viscose rayon since the nineteenth century, 20 when the deleterious effects on exposed workers in that industry were first described. 21 …”