Di(benzothiazol-2-yl) disulphide

Epidemiological data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

epidemiological data

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: acceptable, well-documented publication which meets basic scientific principles

Data source

Reference

Reference 1

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Mortalities of workers at the nitro plant with exposure to 2-mercaptobenzothiazole

Author:

Collins, J., J.; et al.

Year:

1999

Bibliographic source:

Occup. Environ. Med. 56, 667-671

Reference 2

Reference Type:

other: microfiche

Title:

An update of the 2-mercaptobenzothiazole study at the nitro plant, study 9504, January 1996

Author:

Monsanto Co.

Year:

1996

Bibliographic source:

NTIS/OTS0572929

Materials and methods

Study type:

cohort study (retrospective)

Endpoint addressed:

carcinogenicity

Principles of method if other than guideline:

other: cohort mortality study

GLP compliance:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Benzothiazole-2-thiol

EC Number:

205-736-8

EC Name:

Benzothiazole-2-thiol

Cas Number:

149-30-4

Molecular formula:

C7H5NS2

IUPAC Name:

1,3-benzothiazole-2-thiol

Details on test material:

MBT

Method

Details on study design:

cohort mortality study, examination of mortality of MBT exposed worker

Exposure assessment:

estimated

Results and discussion

Results:

Exposure to MBT does not seem to increase the risk of most cancer including cancers of the lung and prostate.
The confounding effect of PAB makes it impossible to evaluate MBT induced risk of bladder cancer in this population at this time.

Confounding factors:

exposure to 4-aminobiphenyl (PAB)

Any other information on results incl. tables

MBT workers have expected rates of lung and prostate cancer. There was an excess of bladder cancer among MBT worker who had definite exposure to PAB and MBT workers with potential exposure to PAB. However, there were no deaths from bladder cancer among workers with no exposure to PAB.

The authors concluded that the potential confounding of exposure to an unknown portion of PAB in the MBT workers makes it impossible to evaluate risk of bladder cancer in this population at this time. However, exposure to MBT doses not seem to increase the risk of most cancers including cancers of the lung and prostate.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

MBT workers have expected rates of lung and prostate cancer. There was an excess of bladder cancer among MBT worker who had definite exposure to PAB and MBT workers with potential exposure to PAB. However, there were no deaths from bladder cancer among workers with no exposure to PAB.
The authors concluded that the potential confounding of exposure to an unknown portion of PAB in the MBT workers makes it impossible to evaluate risk of bladder cancer in this population at this time. However, exposure to MBT doses not seem to increase the risk of most cancers including cancers of the lung and prostate.

Executive summary:

In a follow up study, the mortalities of workers at the Nitro plant (West Virginia) with exposure to 2-mercaptobenzothiazole were evaluated (Collins 1999). In this study the mortalities of 1059 full time white male production workers employed at the plant from 1955 to 1977 were analyses. A detailed exposure assessment was done on the 600 workers with exposure to MBT. Nine years of additional follow up to the previous study (Strauss 1993) were added. In the follow-up study the standardised mortality ratios of the production workers for all causes of death and all cancers was at expected levels, which was different from the findings of the original study (Strauss 1993). For the entire follow up period lung cancer, prostate cancer, and the other cancer sites examined were at expected levels. Among the cancers, only rates of bladder cancer were greater than expected for the entire follow up period. The standardised mortality ratios for total cancer of workers exposed to MBT and potential exposure to PAB were similar to the entire study group and to the local population. Rates for lung cancer and prostate cancer were at expected levels. The standardised mortality ratio for bladder cancer was greater than expected when compared with the external reference group. The number of total cancers was greater than expected for MBT workers with one or more jobs with exposure to PAB. The number of lung cancers and bladder cancers for this group of workers were greater than expected. The MBT workers without a job definite exposure to PAB during their careers had an observed total cancer rate which was lower than expected. Observed deaths from bladder cancer, however, were greater than expected in this group based on five deaths. The five workers who died of bladder cancer held jobs with plant-wide responsibilities. These five workers had job titles of maintenance worker, yard labourer, or general production worker and thus the authors suggested that a possible risk of exposure to PAB. Workers with no potential exposure to PAB, or those workers hired after 1955, have a lower observed than expected risk of total cancer and there were no deaths from bladder cancer. The authors concluded that MBT workers had bladder cancer rates which were greater than expected, but an unknown portion of these workers had exposure to PAB. The potential confounding exposure to PAB, a potent bladder carcinogen, in an unknown portion of the MBT workers makes it impossible to evaluate risk of bladder cancer in this population. Although the lack of bladder cancers among workers hired after PAB manufacture ended would argue against a relation with exposure to MBT, the number of expected deaths in this group of workers is too small to be conclusive.