Document k97OxrkqNBqGRbeNYmz9O0J1V

ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 18105 13 October V.57S OCT 1 4. 1975 Or. T. it. Torkelson Dow Chemical Conoany Health Fnvlr. ''esearcr. wit g-incfiiw Upland, 11 ehlnan Hear Ted: You will recall that when Or. Tamburro uiade his presentation to the Research Coordinators at the MCA on 8 September 1975 under his Medical Surveillance Program ;ie listed the following: 1. biochemical 2. ^adlol^y 3. Pulmonary 4. CarJ fee 5. History and Physical It Is ry opinion that most companies are not making a cardiac examina tion under their current medical surveillance of those people exposed to vinyl chloride. I think it pertinent that you cr perhaps better Milton Frelfeld ask each o* the marker conpanlos In the r,CA program whether cardiac examinations and fpeclffcally. FWi an? done. Sincerely yours. UflS: cfw/ / cc: Hilton Frelfeld. MCA ucc 002Hg C& amt (%e^uca& CT 9 1975 ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 18105 14 October 1975 Dr. T. Torkelson bow Chari cal Company health r. rnvir. '''eseareh 300E Cuilding "Idlafid. Michigan 4C!o*'0 bear 7e-4: Subject Vinyl Chloride cV Circulatory 'sp'cts This is furiVr to r.iy not*: to you and Hilt Freifeld of 13 <)ctober. attache-! Is an article rclifcinq to Ker^'torJ, t:.e only PVC producer In Suailen ani on; of excellence. You will recall that lick WhseTcr at our September meeting mentioned the OUC showed anonc fabricators according to my notes diseases of circulatory system to be higher than expected as 1 ,1376 observed with expected 1,444. You may also remember that iaury .Johnson thought these differences were significant. The KeraHord repor: lends further evidence that w* should Immediately contact all member conoantes of the ;'CA Vinyl Chloride Program, riy question of yesterday v.as ' other any cardiac *.*\a':inations are made and ry* questten of today Is what have been t\e findings. If so done. . with best regards. Sincerely yours, YA6UIo W. fJayo Sm\tJ wns;cv * Attaciiment Cherilcal engineerijvj^, September 29* 1975 cc :^ftllton Frelfeld, MCA UCC 002150 VINYL CHLORIDE RESEARCH PROGRAM Financial Statement - August 29, 1975 Revised as of October 1, 1975 Invoiced (Committed) 1. Epidemioloav Studv s 91,940 Tabershaw/Cooper Assoc. (a) Health Study of VC Workers (6/13/73) (b) Adjustment/- Travel (8/16/73) (c) Adjustment/Extension (3/12/74) <d) Retabulation of Data (7/13/74) (el Study of Workers/ 4 plants (11/5/74) () Extended Epidem iology Study (4/22/75 Sub-Total S 52,597 $144,537 2. Chronic Inhalation Studies $190,281 Industrial BIO-TEST Labs (a) Origina1-Protocc1 (2/1/73) (b) Additional Animals- IOC rate (5/22/73) (Reatart-Agreetnent (8/31/73) (c) I b-T L Contract Adiustments S 50.000 Sub-Total $240,281 Received $ 91,940 S 51.913 $143,953 Research Contract s 71,345 9 3,950 9 5,250 9 i.ooo 9 10.350 5 32,000 9123,895 Time Disbu rsemen ts Administrative Travel Wise. Contracts 9 45 $ 91,895 S 646 $ 646 -0-0- -0- 9 45 9 18.625 $110,520 Total Unpaid Contract on Hand $ 91,940 -0- . -o- ' 9 19,271 $111,211 $13.375 $13,375 $ 32,642 $ 32,642 9190,281 92,665^1 9279^2 $143,319 9 46,962 9149,000 9130,375 $18,625/3 S 49.405 $239,686 9 15,000 9164,000 91,498 91,498 $2,665 9279 $ 10.000 $140,375 9 1,498 $144,817 $ 5,000/3 $23,625 i. 47.907 9 94,869 3. Dow Studies (a) Metabolic (b) Teratology (c) Extension of Studies Sub-Total 9101,250 9149.990 9251,240 9101,250 4148,205 9249,455 $ 50,000 f 20,000 $ 70,000 91,031 91; 031 -0-0- -0-0- $ 50,000 9 20,000 9 70,000 9 70.000 4 1.031 $ 71,031 9 51,250 -0-0- 9147,174 $178,424 GRAND TOTAL $636,058 9632,994 Note: 1. Gaaque, Kociba & Torkelson to Italy 2. Cylinders for Vinyl Chloride 3. Due I B-T L - Receipt of Final Report ucc 002151 9357,895 93.175 $2,665 9324 $320,895 $327,059 $37,000 $305,935 SEP 2 4 87S `B THE September 22, 1975 DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY BENNETT BUILDING 2030 DOW CENTER midland, Michigan mho Mr. Milton Freifeld Manufacturing Chemists' Association 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20009 One of the companies sponsoring the studies on vinyl chloride re ceived the following information in response to an inquiry "on the various studies of vinyl chloride (VCM) being conducted as recom mended by the Vinyl Chloride Task Force." The Office of Toxic Substances has completed the preliminary in vestigation for EPA's epidemiology study, which will be started soon. In EPA, the Office of Research and Development's Health Research Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio, 45268, is sponsoring a study: "Toxi cological Investigation of Vinyl Chloride with Relevance to Non-Worker Populations, with Emphasis on Transplacental Carcinogenesis and Co factors" (Contract #68-03-2148, Project Officer,. Dr. Jerry Stara). No data have yet been derived. Another study, "Sampling of Auto mobile Interiors for Vinyl Chloride" (Contract #68-02-1404, Task 1, Project Officer, Dave Benny), is now underway, being sponsored by the Control Systems Laboratory, ORD, EPA, Research Triangle Park, N.C., 27711. Several studies are being sponsored by other agencies. You should contact them for specifics: Consumer Product Safety Conmlssion, 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Washington, DC, 20014 (Contract #72-2084, Project Officer, Dr. Robert Behir). National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711 (Contract #210-75-0051, Project Officer, Dr. James J. Woods). The Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, 30333, is an alyzing 300 reported cases of hepatic angiosarcoma, to determine all pbssible correlations. Dr. Henry Falk is managing this study. Please attach a copy of this letter with your next mailing to the sponsoring companies. S 4 nrorelu Theodore R. Torkelson Corporate Medical Department UCC 002152 MEMORANDUM TO Mr. Edward Klein Office of the Solicitor Department of Labor (64 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATIONl, AND WELTARE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH DATE: August 22, 1974 FROM Director- SUBJECT: OSHA Public.Hearing on Vinyl Chloride Enclosed is a-review of the Connecticut cases by Dr. Louis B. Thomas, Chief, Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, which should be included In the record of the OSHA Public Hearing on Vinyl Chloride. In accordance with Public Health Service policy, I have blacked out the names of,the. patients. However, for your purpose It should be sufficient to note that case #5 in Dr. Thomas' memorandum was the accountant at the vinyl cloth plant, and-case #6 worked in en electric company applying FVC insulation. Enclosure -* t. - ay ucc 002153 !! MCfJT I II.ALTH. I ! IIJ'tATION. /,r.T> y/ELFAIM' I'Uf'i.lC MCM III M MVICL HA I I'J. aL I.'* * r I 11 I * or HLAt 1 M HI. MU,r,UA, M/< t A.MJ 40014 31 July J 974 haiiunai. cANccn it.stituu Dr. Philip I.nndrigan Coi-.::iu:)icable Dtr-vase Center 1600 Clifton Road, N.E. . Atlanta, Georgia 30322 Dear Dr. Landrigan: On July 19th wo sent you pathology reports for six of th eight Conn; *. t itur c : ;. r.. r.acli .-.c-.l arc reports for the other two patients; After completing the individual reports. Dr. Popper, Dr. Lingeman and I reviewed the eight canes once more in order to make some evaluation about their possible similarity or dissimilarity to lesions seen in VC-PVC workers. Our comments about this are listed below: (1) believe the angiosarcoma of the liver of this patient is different from most of the angiosarcomas seen in VC-PVC workera. Sinusoidal dilatation and/or rcegalocytosis of hcpatocytes were not seen. Also there was no hepatic fibrosis similar to that seen in the VC-PVC workers. (2) VflHBHESQBfc' Carcinoma involving pancreas and liver, possibly primary in the pancreas. We do not have a carcinoma of this type among the known VC-PVC workers whose lesions we have reviewed. (3) carcinoid type bronchial adenoma seen in the lung oi thin pal.tent almost surely has no relationship to the hepatic lesions l? hc-i'.angiomas) in the liver. We have not seen any bronchial adenomas in the VC-PVC worker sections we have examined. rThe angiosarcoma in this paLicnt forms capillary, slit-like spaces and replaces hepatic tissues. Wc only occasionally found this type of histological pattern in thd angiosarcomas of the VC-I'VC workers and, in those patients, always also found i.uilt icon trie areas of angiosarcoma with a sinusoidal and/or papillary pattern. We did not see these types of pattern Ln Mr. Mulloy'u section. Tims we do not think his hepatic nngi os.ireo:.-..! is characteristic of the angles,-ii comas seen in the Yl'.-l'VC workers. Also ucc 002154 Page 2 -- Dr. Philip i.undrigan liver is definitely cirrhotic with large deposits of- iron. Them! feature:; also were not r,i-cn in the VC-l'W. workers with hepatic fibrosis and with or uiLhout hepatic angiosarcomas. C5) cannot he certain, one way or another, about , histologic feature, i.e. the cells of the angiosarcoma aret; `.omuwlnt "i throblar.tic," is dissimilar to angiosarcomas in most of the VC-PVC workers. However several other hirtological feature:; are similar to the VC-PVC corfevs hepatic lesions; namely, sinusoidal dilatation, tectorial and enveloping features of the sinusoidal lining cells, portal tract fibrosis, and variability in size of hepauocytes. In summary, there are sufficient histological similarities that we cannot exclude this as a so-called "VC-1'VC type case." , (6) case refer to the note on our surgical pathology re, -art S74-liG6. In brief, we are not completely certain that this is an angiosarcoma of the liver or even a primary sarcoma of the liver. It is not like any of the Other tumors we've seen in the. livers of VC-FVC workers. (7) histological features of the hepatic angiosarcoma and portal tract fibrosis seen in this case are similar in nearly all respects to the lesions we have seen in most of the VC-PVC workers' livers. (8) css&gigsaH^'e have reviewed needle biopsies only from this pai7e:;c\s angiosarcoma. The amount of material is insufficient for a definite comparative statement, but we do not see the histologic features which we believe are most characteristic of the angiosarcomas in VC-PVC workers. In conclusion vc interpret five of these car's as having definite hepatic angiosarcomas and an additional case possibly having a hepatic angiosarcoma. In one p&Lieni the overall histologic features are the s>aii.u as er vary .similar to the hepatic lcc.ions seen in most of the VC-PVC workers. In another case there arc several similar features and one or two dissimilar lectures. We wjnt to emphasize that we do not think there is any single, histological feature cither of the angiosarcomas or of Lhe hepatic fibrosis which is pathognomonic of vinyl chloride exposure. For example, all the changes we've seen in the livers of the VC-PVC workers can apparently be produced by exposure to nvsouicals. However, certain types of hepatic fibrosis. Page 3 - J)r. I'hllip ?.nndrJgan sinusoidal dilatation, t.ki]ticcntric angiosarcomas with sinusoidal, papillary ami cavernous patterns together with mega]ocyLosis of hepatocytes collectively form a spectrum of hepatic lesions which are "characteristic" of the VC-PVC workers' lesions. It is with these facts in mind that we have attempted to evaluate the Connecticut eases and compare their Similarities and dissimilarities with the VC-PVC workers. Thank you for getting this material for our review. We would like to keep the submitted sections awhile longer in order to take photo micrographs of the various lesions. Also our conclusions about some of these car.,*s might be more definite if we examined additional further. Sincerely Louis B. Thomas, M.D. Chief, Laboratory of Pathology ucc 002156 TABLE 1 CONFIRMED CASES OF LIVER ANGIOSARCOMA AMONG*WORKERS EXPOSED TO VINYL CHLORIDE OR POLYVINYL CHLORIDE CASE . COUNTRY #. V * .^ Sweden 02 BIRTH DATE 11-27-11 United States 01 ^United States 02 United States 03' United States 04 United States 05 United States 06 United States 07 United States 08 United States 09 United States 10 United States 11 United States 12 United States 13 W. Cemany 01 W. Gerrsany 02 Great Britain 01 Non/ay 01 . Sweden 01 . 00-00-22 00-00-34 00-00-15 00-00-24 00-00-12 00-00-29 05-03-22 05-06-20 00-00-31 08-16-13 05-27-09 11-17-18 12-01-21 07-26-31 06-04-30 00-00-01 12-23-15 06-23-27 United States 14 United States 15 00-00-13 00-00-25 1st VC DX AGE YRS or PVC ANGIO- AT 1st EXP EXPOSURE. SARCOMA DX TO DX VC MONOMER PRODUCTION WORKERS 00-00-45 05-15-72 61 27 POLYMERIZATION WORKERS 12-09-48 11-15-55 11-28-45 07-06-52 06-19-44 01-17-62 08-00-44 10-07-46 05-28-45 06-00-51 10-14-46 09-13-49 08-19-44 10-14-57 10-01-57 00-00-46 03-00-50 08-14-51 03-00-71 05-00-70 12-00-73 08-00-67 . 04-00-64 02-00-74 00-00-68 08-00-61 03-01-74 05-00-68 03-00-70 05-00-69 05-00-74 00-00-71 00-00-69 12-00-72 12-20-71 02-00-70 SECONDARY MANUFACTURING 08-18-38 06-00-73 00-00-00 07-00-72 49 ' 22 36 14 58 28 43 15 52 20 45 12 45 24 41 15 43 29 55 17 61 23 50 20 53 30 40 14 39 11 71 26 56 22 43_____ 19 V ) / 60 36 47 00 TOT YRS EXP 23 16 13 28 15 18 12 18 15 17 17 23 15 30 14 11 20 21 18 00 00 Juno 25, 19/4 * DATE OF DEATH \ 08-16-72 03-03-73 ` 09-28-71 . 12-19-73 01-07-68 04-05-64 Alive 03-23-68 08-29-61 ALIVE 05-10-63 03-16-70 05-02-69 ALIVE 12-14-71 01-25-69 12-00-72 01-04-72 10-20-70 *r * S' C-i fc* 07-03-73 --Cu-!. 02-15-73 Note: *00' indicates unknown date UCC 002157 OCT department of health, education, and welfare PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 819/5 October 3, 1975 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF environmental health sciences P.O. BOX Ittll M3CABCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. 27709 Mr. Milton Freifeld Project Manager Vinylidlne Chloride Research Manufacturing Chemists Association 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009 Dear Mr. Freifeld: In keeping with our agreement to send you information regarding our research activities on vinyl chloride and related substances, I am enclosing for your information a copy of our contact proposal entitled "Evaluation of the Environmental Toxicant, Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM). Included is an addendum describing additional studies we are conducting on vinyl Idine chloride, as well as some extra VCM tests which were added after the proposal was written. The work on this contract has begun this September, and we will be happy to send you copies of the progress reports as they become available. Please continue to send us whatever Information you derive from your studies In this area. Yours truly, Enclosures -'dames S. Woods, Ph.D. Head, Biochemical Toxicology Section Environmental Toxicology Branch \ C.Ep.,f{TV_\" Or HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE PUBLIC HEALTH SE.^i/ICE , A1IO . AL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH CT 2 01975 rATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES P.O, BOX li^SS RESEARCH TRIANfiLE PARK. N.C. *7.\M October 15, 1975 Dr. Milton Freifeld Assistant Technical Director Occupational Health Manufacturing Chemists Association 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N.M. Washington, D.C. 20009 Dear Dr. Freifeld: This letter Is in response to your Inquiry of October 2, 1975. Information on vinyl chloride Is enclosed, and Information only on extramural projects dealing with vinylidene chloride and polyvinyl chloride Is enclosed. Inquiry to NIEHS staff about the other compounds is In process; the resultant information will be forwarded to you when received by this office. Sincerely, Enclosures J' . Ph.D. Office of Program Development UCC 002159 ifiTT"*-- "inrmimii ....... October 8, 1975 VINYL CHLORIDE RESEARCH NIEHS CT 2 o 1975 Intramural In cooperation with Dr. Robert T. Drew and Mr. Mike Riley, a mutagenesis prescreen using Salmonella typhlmurium with vinyl chloride Is being conducted to test a system for handling gases In tier-one testing. Contract Ongoing vinyl chloride (VCM) studies (MRI Contract No. NIH-NIEHS-722084) seek to determine the biochemical and pathological alterations In specific organ functions of rats and mice chronically exposed to low and mid-level doses of VCM or vinylIdene chloride (VDM). Dr. dames Woods is the project officer for this contract and should be contacted directly If more Information Is needed. 4 4 ucc 002160 Extramural LIST OF PROJECTS 1. 5 ROl ES 01027-02 SOBELS, Frederick H. /-Department of Rad., Gen., Chem. Mutagenesis University of Leiden Leiden, Netherlands induction of Genetic Damage by Chemical Mutagens. Studies include preliminary screening, with Drosophila as the test system, of a number of suspected mutagens, including vinyl chloride, to be followed with investigation of effects on male germ cell stages and determination of mutagenic mechanisms. ' 2. 1 ROl ES 01150-01 . VAN DUUREN, Benjamin L. .New York University Medical Center New York, New York ' Carcinogenic Intermediates and Metabolism of Vinyl Chloride and : -Analogs. Study based on the premise that an epoxide not vinyl chloride per se Is the proximate carcinogen. Will attempt to determine the transfor mation and action mechanisms of vinyl chloride and/or Its metabolites In liver. 3. 1 R01 ES 01287-01 (Energy Award) SICIUANO, Michael J. University of Texas System Cancer Center Houston, Texas Mdltlple Loci Screen for Mutations In Mammalian Cells. Study of the detection of mutations In cultured mammalian cells (mainly Chinese hamster ovary cells) by simultaneously screening cloned isolates for electrophoretic variants at 50 or more loci, using a number of known or suspected mutagenic agents, including vinyl chloride. 4 4 ucc 002161 Extramural Page 2 - LIST OF PROJECTS 4. 5 PIO ES 00002-13 WHITTENBERGER, James L. Harvard University School of Public Health Boston, Massachusetts Occupational and Environmental Health. Studies in the Environmental Toxicology Group include the determination of binding sites in relation to toxicity and mode of action of vinyl and vinyl1dene chlorides. Dr. Richard Monson, Department of Epidemiology, and others are engaged In mortality studies Involving Identification of cases In different locations for diseases (cancer, leukemia or congenital anomalies) caused by various factors, including vinyl and vlnylidene chlorides. 5. 5 PIO ES 00159-10 SUSKIND, Raymond R. University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Center for the Study of the Human Environment Methods are being developed for analysis of low ambient levels of vinyl chloride and for evaluating permeation tubes for preparing accurate gaseous vinyl " chloride standards. 6. 5 PIO ES 00928-02 SELIKOFF, Irving J. Mount Sinai School of Medicine City University of New York New York, New York Center for the Study of Biological Effects of Environmental Agents. Thjs laboratory has a number of studies underway dealing with medical surveillance of workers exposed to asbestos and vinyl chloride in the manufacture of vinyl floor tiles, mortality experience of a cohort of vinyl chloride-polyvinyl chloride workers, prevalence of vinyl chloride associated disease among exposed workers, and chromosome damage Induced in exposed workers by vinyl and polyvinyl chlorides. 4 4 L 4 ucc 002162 U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. O.C. S0S07 May 6, 1975 Dr. Theodore R. Torkelson Corporate Medical Department The Dow Chemical Company Bennett Building 2030 Dow Center Midland, Michigan 48640 Dear Dr. Torkelson: Thank you for your letter dated April 23, 1975, regarding CPSC'a proposed protocol for inhalation studies on vinyl chlorl As I remember, you have a copy of the original protocol scheduled to be performed at Edgewood Arsenal. Attached is a copy of the proposed changes. In regard to the schedule, the.acute study of 1 hour only with rats and mice and holding for 24 months is now in its second month. The three generation reproductive studies are now in the 60 day exposure stage. The sub-acute inhalation stage is entirely new and is just beginning. If I can be of any further help, do not hesitate to call or write. Attachment Robert M. Rehir, Ph.D. Director Bureau of Biomedical Science ucc * CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION During a visit to Biomedical Laboratory by Drs. McLaughlin and Wyer on 27 March 1975, it was mutually agreed by the contract project officer. Dr. McLaughlin and Dr. McNamara, Edgewood Arsenal Contract Administrator, that the following technical changes would be made in the toxicological testing of Vinyl Chloride monomer: ' 1. No biochemical or enzymatic work would be performed in the vinyl chloride studies. 2. The three generation reproductive studies will be changed as follows: a. The number of animals per dose will be Increased from 10 to 25. b. The exposure concentration and time of exposure will be 50 and 500 ppm, 5 days week/10 weeks. ! c. The parent generation will be held and observed for 2 years. d. No teratology studies will be performed. 3. A sub-acute inhalation study will be added to the acute work. The exposure schedule is as follows: Dose Level 50 500 Control Sub-Acute Vinyl Chloride Inhalation Study (Exposure Schedule) Species (Strain) Number Exposed Frequency of Exposure Rat (Fisher) Mouse (A/J) 180 5 dy/wk - 20 wks 180 11 It Rat (Fisher) Mouse (A/J) Rat 50 ppm 500 ppm Mouse 50 ppm 500 ppm 180 5 dy/wk - 2 wks 180 M II 100 _ _ 100 - - 100 * 100 - - UCC 002164 The observation and sacrifice schedule is as follows: Sub-Acute Vinyl Chloride Inhalation Study (Observation and Sacrifice Schedule) Dose Level (ppm) Time of Observation & Sacrifice (Months) 8 Rat Mouse 50 20 20 500 20 20 Controls 50 ppm 10 10 level 500 ppm level 10 10 Totals 120 20 20 20 20 10 10 10 10 120 Total Animals: Rats - 560 Mice - 560 16 Rat Mouse 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 120 120 24 Rat 50 50 50 50 30 30 30 30 320 Mouse 50 50 50 50 30 30 30 30 320 UCC 002165 CEP CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS September 1975 CODEN CEPRA 9 Volume 71. No. 9 Vinyl Chloride Emission Control Measuring end Improving Productivity-- The Discussion....................................................... How should compsny trtin its engineers? Should engineers set their own protect goals, or should the company do that? What is the best way to motivate engineers? 21 Two Engineering Meetings Focus on Engineering Cooperation..................................... Photos from the WFEO meeting in Tunisia and from the VI Interamerican Congress of Chemical En gineering in Venezuela. 29 LA. Meeting to Consider Energy. Environment end Economics....................................................... The Institute and the Alpha Chi Sigma Lectures form part of AlChE'a 68th Annual Meeting program. 91 Vinyl Chloride Emission Control * VCM Reduction and Control............................ Until a monomer-free PVC resin becomes a com mercial reality, the aspirator system should provide economical removal of VCM for dry blend opera tions. 41 * Control Methods for Vinyl Chloride................ Some tips on how PPG handles sample collection and analyses of VCM. and on how it handles the tricky aspects of loading operations.* 46 * Control of In-transit VCM................................. The only certainties regarding VCM regulations era that they ere here to stay, end that industry will have little to say concerning employee safety and plant procedures. 49 * Stripping VCM from PVC Resins.................... Here's a progress report on a stripping technique that can ba used in the production of resins by the suspension process. 64 Emergency Isolation Valves for Chemical Plants.................................................................... An emergency isolation valve may coat S&000 to install but It may prevent a firs that would be 1.000 timee more costly. 63 Economics of Ethylene Glycol Processes.......... A review of currant technology indicates a nearterm shift to liquid-phase acatoxyietion. and for the longer-term, a mqve to synthesis gas derived processes. 72 The Flixborough Disaster..................................... The Flixborough Works explosion, which was equivalent to the force of 15 tone of TNT. killed 28 people, injured 89. and damaged 1.821 houses. 77 Basin Fermentor for Single Cell Protein............. Single cell protein may be one way of feeding the world's billions. The basin fermentor may be an in expensive way to produce large amounts of tingle cell protein. 86 Booka................. Lattars............... Speak Out.......... .... Tranda............... .... 2 Institute News___ .. 103 Future Meetings__ 130 4 People..................... 108 Proftssiuinl Services. 148 35 What's New.......... .. 108 Advertiser's Index... 149 37 Data Service........ .. 119 Newt and Notes....... 150 Editor A Publisher Larry Resen Managing Editor John Howe Assoeuue Editors Claudia M. Caruana Waldo B. Hoffman Publicationa Director F. J. Van Antwerpen Art Director Louis H. Dufault Editorial Assistants Elizabeth A. Connors Ann Rusicka Production/Sales Service Manager Frank Griaoii Advertising Production Assistant Abigail Miranda Recruitment Advertising Coordinator Gloria Lambaon EDITORIAL SOUNDING BOARD Frank Cozxarelii Union Carbide Corp., New York. N.Y. Warren C. Fisher FMC Corp., New York, N.Y. Howard Kehde Dow Chemical. USA, Midland, Mich. Paul Stavanger Dorr-Oliver, Inc.. Stamford, Conn. ucc 002166 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS (Vol. 71, No. 9) September 1975 1 Reprinted from the Archives of Environmental Health July 1975, Volume 31 Copyright 1975, American Medical Association Vinyl Chloride Exposure in a Controlled Industrial Environment A Long-Term Mortality Experience in 594 Employees Marvin Gerald Ott, MS; Ralph R. Langncr, PhD; Benjamin B. Holder, MD Vinyl eMortde hae been eeeoctated A new clinical entity associated recently with findings of angiosarcoma In animate and man. The prevent study examinee the mortality experience of Indfvtduaia occupationally exposed to vinyl chloride and lesser amounts of vtnyBdene chloride and other compounds. Employees were propped Into four exposure categories according to the highest levels of vinyl chloride exposure experienced for at least one month. with vinyl chloride exposure, acroosteolysis, was reported in the United States by Wilson et al in 1967.* This was elaborated by Cook et al,' Dodson et al,* and Dinman et al.' In 1972, an environmental study of vinyl chloride workers by Kramer and Mutchler* revealed laboratory indica tions of liver disease in workers Although no angiosarcomas were found exposed to a time-weighted average and there were no deaths due to any liver malignancy, the observed mal'; -----deaths exceeded the expected among wortera In the hlgh-axpomura category. Fewer than expected malignancy deaths were observed in the remaining exposure categories. concentration for an eight-hour day (TWA) of 300 ppm or above. I! ;.. of other effects associated with expo sure to high levels of vinyl chloride were summarized by Marstellar and Julie" in the European literature. Neoplasia was first associated with vinyl chloride in 1971 by Viola et al.'" Maltoni" later reported malignant changes in animals, including angio Vinyl chloride has a 30- to 40-year history of industrial use. Until sarcoma of the liver. Creech and John son11 supported this observation by recently, it was thought to be a relatheir report of angiosarcoma of the tively benign material and, in fact, liver in vinyl chloride workers. In May was once considered for use as a 1974, Tabershaw and Gaffey" re surgical anesthetic. Reports docu leased their industry-wide epidemio menting anesthetic effects in animals logical study of vinyl chloride workers and humans and liver injury in ani that suggested increased numbers of mals from chronic exposure were malignant neoplasms at other body published in 1960 thru 1963 by Mastro- sites. matteo et al,' Toskelson et al,* and This report summarizes the mortali Lester et al.' ty experience of an industrial popula tion exposed to vinyl chloride in an environment for which many years of Submitted for publication Aug 26, 1974; accepted Feb 25, 1975. From the Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich. Reprint requests to the Dow Chemical Compa ny, Corporate Medical Department, 3030 Dow Center, Midland, Ml 48640 <Mr. Ott). monitoring data are available. Many of the employees were also included in the Tabershaw and Gaffey report; however, in the present study the mortality experience was Combined with more dearly defined levels of exposure and follow-up of former company employees. I HISTORY Research involving vinyl chloride started at this company location in the mid-1930s. In 1941, a small copolymer plant was constructed that employed four operators, two miller-packagers, one foreman, and one superintendent In the late 1940s, the plant capacity was enlarged and two assistant opera tors joined the work force. The*mer plant continued to grow and other types of copolymer were developed, which resulted in a larger department with a new group of operating, cleri cal, and supervisory personnel. A small production unit to produce vinyl chloride monomer and a copolymer semiplant also were operated during this period. Continued research resulted in a new outdoor homopolymer (PVC) and copolymer unit being constructed in 1952. The rapid development of the market for PVC resin in the 1950s outstripped the new plant capacity. In response, PVC production was begun in a portion of a third copolymer unit that had previously used only limited quantities of vinyl chloride. Thus, besides the research efforts and mon omer production, three polymer units were in operation. The PVC was pro duced until 1969, when the decision was made to discontinue production of homopolymer and use the facilities to modernize copolymer production. The modernization allowed the closing of the plant built in 1941. Arch Environ Health /Vol 30, July 1975 Vinyl Chloride Exposure/Ott et al 333 ucc 00216? C'C ; (mr/\) 4**. v.V- f/**\ V*il. Ift, ftp. 24i*50< Pvf|jxinaii Pfcu IV7J. P/iakJ in Ci(*i IlMaiA RLjJAIi. M ?. i \V+M. UlS, t .I j: i COMPARISON BETWEEN /.V K/77?fl TOXICITY OF POLYMER AND MINERAL DUSTS AND THEIR FIBROGENICITY J. A. Stylus and. J. Wilson Imperial Chemical Industries Limited. Industrial Hygiene Research Laboratories, Alderley Park, near Macclcslicld. Cheshire Abstract--The cytotoxicity of a variety of polymer dusts to suspensions or rat alveolar and peritoneal itucrophtittcs in culture was measured using trypan blue as an indicator of cell death. Suspensions of the same dusts were administered lu rats by inlraperitoneal injection and the tissue reaction examined at I month and a n-.onths, A good correlation was found between the cytotoxicity of the dusts to macrophages in culture and the degree of fibrosis caused by them in the animals. t O INTRODUCTION ; The relationship between cytotoxicity of mineral dusts to macrophages in vitro and their fibroger.ic activity in vivo was examined by Marks et ai, (1956) using a quantita- live in vitro technique (Marks and Mason, 1956). Further work was carried out by Conning vt at, (1971) who compared the ability of several mineral and polymer dusts to product* progressive or persistent fibrosis after imraperitoneal or intratracheal injection in rats, and their cytotoxic activity in rat alveolar and peritoneal macrophages in culture. They were able to distinguish three distinct levels of cytotoxicity in vitro which related directly to the degree of fibrogcniejty of the dusts in vivo. The dusts of low cytotoxicity did not cause persistent fibrosis: those of intermediate cytotoxicity were comparable to silica in their ability to cause progressive fibrosis. Only asbestos was pljccd in the third category of cytotoxicity and this produced the most fibrosis. Theresuhs of these investigations suggest that there is a direct relationship between cyto'.oxiei'.x of a dust to macrophages in culture and ftbrogenieity in the living animal. With the limited material available they were unable to elucidate the effects of changes in particle size and conhgur.iticn. Marks vl at. (1956) examined only mineral dusts, and Conning vtal. (1971) examined two mineral and two polymer diixls. The present study examines the relation between cytotoxicity to macrophages in culture and the librogenic activity in vivo of a much wider range of polymer and mineral dusts allowing more general conclusions to be drawn. ' r. ' t i s MATHRIALS AND MliTHOOS i I Animals Specific pathogen free albino Wistar rats (Aldcrley Park strain) of both sexes and of a weight range 200-250 g were used. I 241 I ucc n 002168