Evidence for existence in human tissues of monomers for plastics and rubber manufacture

Abstract

Although exposure to many industrially important monomers is controlled by law, few of these reactive chemicals have been determined in human tissues. Analogy with other fat-soluble organic substances strongly implies that these monomers may be retained in tissue, subject to the usual physiological constraints of metabolism, solubility and volatility. The storage of DDT and PCBs is discussed, as well as tetrachloro-ethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), which are chemically similar to many industrially used monomers. Styrene in blood and breath and its metabolites in urine have been studied in humans. Styrene and vinyl chloride have been measured in fat tissue of polymerization workers.