Document V3bonDxKKRJyaDXDawZ76GVwo

. rr. _ Interoffice Communication To F. Kennedy D. Porchey May 1, 1974 Subject VCM Monkey Exposure Test (conoco) CONFIDENTIAL ; 5*3 chemicals resea^h <33 MY 2 337< 03 m T^-pgr ' ' FK VJRBe f>f:K A !Lu v\ ~ s I.M I have. as we discussed, obtained more information concerning the VCM SKin aDSorption test perrormea on a momcey aoout wmcn we nad neara. The following was obtained on a confidential basis from the recollection of Dr. Benjamin Zweicker, Division of Technical Planning, B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company, Cleveland, Ohio. In about 1967, BFG supported about one-half of a VCM-rat exposure test directed toward acroosteolysis at the University of Cincinnati. A one-day side experiment was conducted using a monkey. The results were not published. The monkey was enclosed in plexiglass below the neck. It's body was exposed to 17 ppm, 60-70 ppm and 800-900 ppm sequentially for one hour intervals. The monkey's breath was monitored for VCM. VCM was then cut off after the three hours, but breath monitoring continued. The results showed that VCM in detectable amounts showed up in the monkey's breath within 30 minutes after initial exposure and increased as the amount of VCM to which the monkey was exposed increased. The level of VCM in its breath dropped rapidly when exposure was terminated. The amount of VCM in the monkey's breath was about 2% of that to which the monkey was exposed. (The basis for this calculation is not clear.) Dr. Zweicker felt that it is probable that the results weren't published because the test was of short duration and poorly conceived and instrumented. His unofficial view based on these findings (2%) was that the wearing of "impervious" suits inside reactors in a 50 ppm atmosphere was not necessary. He knows of no other work going on to further evaluate these findings. He believes the investigator now works at Monsanto but has forgotten his name. : oVm'JjQT D. V. Porchey Lj Research Chemical Engineer Engineering Research Chemicals Research Division Research and Development Department gl CC: LNV-CW