Vinyl Chloride Disease

Pyramidal syndromes in 52 cerebellar disturbances in 38.

Vinyl chloride disease.

How can exposures be reduced. 29 were free of complaints and nervous disturbances. There is no treatment for this disease. Vinyl chloride is a deadly toxic chemical despite industry s repeated attempts to hide the threats.

Vinyl chloride exposure is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer hepatic angiosarcoma as well as brain and lung cancers lymphoma and leukemia. Vinyl chloride has a mild sweet odor which may become noticeable at 3 000 parts vinyl chloride per million parts ppm of air. The atsdr toxicological profile succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for the hazardous substance described here. Occupational safety health administration provides information about exposure limits to vinyl chloride.

Each peer reviewed profile identifies and reviews the key literature that describes a hazardous substance s toxicologic properties. Chloroethene chloroethylene ethylene monochloride monochloroethene monochloroethylene vc vcm vinyl chloride monomer vcm colorless gas or liquid below 7 f with a pleasant odor at high concentrations. Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen that causes a rare cancer of the liver. Exposed to vinyl chloride for 1 to 25 yr mean 14 58 i e.

Most people begin to taste vinyl chloride in water at 3 4 ppm. 44 in combination with positive neurological findings i e. 27 and in 88 i e. However the odor is of little value in preventing excess exposure.

Vinyl chloride a chemical known to cause cancer poisons the air breathed by workers and people living in contaminated communities. In 2007 the international agency for research on cancer established the association of vcm with hepatocellular carcinoma hcc though only on the basis. Loss of visual acuity occurs very rapidly and is accompanied by ascending paralysis. Portal hypertension liver fibrosis and angiosarcoma of the liver asl have been reported among workers exposed to vinyl chloride monomer vcm since the 1970s.

Shipped as a liquefied compressed gas. According to the united states environmental protection agency epa vinyl chloride emissions from polyvinyl chloride pvc ethylene dichloride edc and vinyl chloride monomer vcm plants cause or contribute to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to result in an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness. Other pertinent literature is also presented but is described in less detail than the key studies.