Document argd5Y0OzYK380xxZvjemBKa

World Headquarters (Location) March 22, 1982 To: B. R. Leach EMXC Subject: VC from PVC The Dutch abstract which you sent me (Firon et al., Food and Cosmetic Toxicology, Vol. 19, pp 317 to 333 {1981) indicates that lifetime levels of vinyl chloride as low as 5.0 mg/kg body weight fed as a contaminant on PVC to Wistar rats pro duced cancer. The lowest level 1.7 mg/kg body weight produced a higher death rate and hepatocellular tumors. We are, of course, well aware that vinyl chloride is carcinogenic when exposure is via the respiratory route. In most cases, the route of administration is not important so the results are not surprising. To assess the meaning in the workplace, I have assumed that a 70 kg worker breathes 400 cc 18 times per minute and works an 8 hr. day. Thus he breathes 3.5 M3/<3ay of air. Assuming that he is working in a heavy dust area with a PVC dust exposure of 10 mg/M3, he would breathe 35 mg PVC/day. If this contained 0.1% VC (1,000 ppm) he would breathe .035 mg VC or a dose of 0.035 ' 70 = .0005 mg/kg. In a similar way, we can show that 1 ppm. VC in air would correspond to a dose of 0.13 mg/kg./day. We know that some men breathed hundreds of ppm/day. This confirms other evidence that man can tolerate much more VC than the rat (Dr. Rail estimated 500 times more). IJRL15520 WDH/mcw cc: J. D. Forbes, M.D. P. Jonmaire - EMIC W. D. Harris, Ph.D. Corporate Industrial Toxicologist INTERCOMPANY CORRESPONDENCE NOT PRODUCED WORK PRODUCT MATERIAL URL 15521