Cancer of the urinary bladder in highly exposed workers in the production of dinitrotoluenes: a case report

Abstract

Technical dinitrotoluene (consisting of 2,4- and 2,6-dinitrotoluene isomers) has been widely used as explosives. Both technical isomers are mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 strains and carcinogenic in rodents. 2,4-dinitrotoluene shows a dose-dependency of malignant tumors of the kidneys, liver, and mammary glands in rats and mice. In this case report, we discuss a cluster of three cases of urothelial cancer amongst a group of about 60 workers exposed to dinitrotoluenes. The workers were employed in the manufacturing of nitrotoluene explosives in the former German Democratic Republic. The cases occurred within a period of 12 years (1990-2002) leading to a 15.9 fold higher incidence of cancer of the urinary bladder than of the federal state where the chemical factory was located. The observation of the cluster of urothelial cancer in persons highly exposed to nitrotoluenes underlines the putative human carcinogenicity of dinitrotoluenes with the human urothelium as a relevant target tissue.

N-15 NMR Study of the Immobilization of 2,4- and 2,6-Dinitrotoluene in Aerobic Compost

“…There is an interest in the application of composting to remediate soils where the dinitrotoluenes are the target contaminant. 2,4-DNT and 2,6DNT are U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority pollutants, and exposure to technical dinitrotoluene (mixtures of the 2,4-and 2,6-isomers) has been associated with urothelial cancer among mining workers (8).…”

Axon cytoskeleton ultrastructure in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

“…Although the excess was greatest in employees with the heaviest tobacco consumption, it could partly be explained by the presence of certain compounds on the site. Among the compounds mentioned in the literature is dinitrotoluene (DNT), suspected as a risk factor for kidney and bladder cancer in slow acetylizers [Bruning et al, 2002; Harth et al, 2005]. A recent study of workers exposed to DNT showed statistically higher frequency of chromosomal aberrations in comparison with a group of controls, correlated with an indicator of biologically effective dose (2,4‐dinitrotoluene‐Hb‐adducts), and dependent on polymorphisms of enzymes involved in nitrotoluene metabolism.…”

Why We Will Continue to Lose Our Battle with Cancers If We Do Not Stop Their Triggers from Environmental Pollution

“…Another, jet fuels, which—besides fine particles and other pollutants—contain a high level of octane boosters to improve the acceleration of aircraft, such as toluene, that produces, by nitration, a mixture of nitrotoluenes in exhaust fuels [ 169 ]. One of them, dinitrotoluene, which is also a military chemical propellant and explosive, is considered a probable carcinogen because it is linked with breast, liver, and bladder cancers, may pose a serious risk to people living near military bases [ 129 , 170 , 171 , 172 , 173 ]. Other nitrification products, such as the o-toluidine also deriving from the manufacture of dye-stuffs and the production of rubber, chemicals, and pesticides, have shown carcinogenic properties [ 174 , 175 ] and can pose another risk to exposed populations living close to airports and factories that emit toluidine.…”