o-cresol

Health surveillance data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

health surveillance data

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

2012

Report date:

2012

Materials and methods

Study type:

health record from industry

Endpoint addressed:

acute toxicity: inhalation

repeated dose toxicity: inhalation

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Over a period of 15 years (1997-2011) both, exposure levels have been measured (Allmendiger 2012) and medical examination of the staff was performed in accordance with German Gefahrstoffverordnung §16(2).

GLP compliance:

not specified

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

all isomers (o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol

IUPAC Name:

all isomers (o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol

Details on test material:

2 production plants producing o-, m- and p-cresol (no further details)

Method

Type of population:

occupational

Ethical approval:

not applicable

Details on study design:

Over a period of 15 years (1997-2011) both, exposure levels have been measured (Allmendiger 2012) and medical examination of the staff( about 100 workers) was performed in accordance with German Gefahrstoffverordnung §16(2).
These examinations included mecical history, physical examination, lung function, ECG/Ergometry,vision-testing, audiometry, laboratory examinatios of blood and urine as well as a biomonitoring(measuring of working substance in blood and urine by gas chromatography/mass spectometry[GC/MS])

Results and discussion

Results:

---Exposure data ( see Allmendinger 2012):
concentrations up to 0.91 mg/m³ (8h-time-weight -average) and 1.87 mg/m³(15 min peak-exposure)

---Physical examination
There has been no sign of cresol derived symptoms in all the years
--- Lung Function test
There have not been any pathological lung function test results in context with the wrking place
(sources which could influence the lung function test like smokingm of contact to other irritative or allergenic substances as well as medical history were taken ino account)

---Biomonitoring data
All measured values are below the limit value of 200 mg/l urine (Biologische Leitwert as published by MAK/ BAT-commision of DFG)

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Executive summary:

Over a period of 15 years (1997-2011), in German production plants, both, exposure levels have been measured (Allmendiger 2012) and medical examination of the staff (about 100 workers/year) was performed in accordance with German Gefahrstoffverordnung §16(2). Concentrations up to 0.91 mg/m³ (8h-time-weight -average) and 1.87 mg/m³(15 min peak-exposure) were determined. In case of routine handling of cresols with the required protedtion devices the occupational medical surveillance did not show any health effects in workers including medical physical and hematological examination as well as by lung function tests or biomonitoring (Leng 2012).