Occupational exposure to neurotoxicants: preliminary survey in five industries of the Camaçari Petrochemical Complex, Brazil

Abstract

The Camaçari Petrochemical Complex (CPC) is the biggest and most important industrial complex of the northeastern region of Brazil. At present, its 54 companies employ directly and indirectly about 50,000 people. Used there as solvent and raw material, compounds such as benzene and its homologues n-hexane, haloalkanes, and some alcohols have as their prime targets the central and peripheral nervous systems. Despite widespread use of these chemicals, the workers are little aware of their toxicity, and the evaluation of exposure to them has only recently become a worrisome issue. This paper discusses the contamination of occupational environments in some industries of the CPC, as well as the neurobehavioral impairment that could be found among their workers.