[Epidemiologic evaluation of health effects of occupational and non-occupational exposure to carbon disulfide]

Abstract

The review of published results of epidemiologic studies indicates that chronic exposure to carbon disulfide may cause functional and organic disorders of the nervous, circulatory, alimentary and endocrine systems as well as disorders of sight and hearing organs. The epidemiologic studies have been mainly carried out in populations occupationally exposed to carbon disulfide. The majority of data apply to pathologies caused by CS2 in concentrations exceeding MAC values. Some of the studies indicate that the frequency of disorders in lipid metabolism, circulatory and nervous systems as well as in the sight organ is significantly higher in workers exposed to lower concentrations of CS2 but for longer period of time. The studies of mortality show that an increased risk of death from ischaemic heart disease is a late effect of the chronic exposure to CS2. The question of teratogenic and carcinogenic effects of CS2 as well as the problem of health effects of exposure to CS2 of populations living in the vicinity of chemical fibre plants which emit CS2 into the atmosphere still remain without any clear answer.