Acute liver injury in two workers exposed to chloroform in cleanrooms: a case report.
10.1186/s40557-014-0049-5
- Author:
Young Joong KANG
1
;
Jungho AHN
;
Yang In HWANG
Author Information
1. Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, 400, Jongga-ro, Jung-gu Ulsan, Republic of Korea. yjkang@kosha.or.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Chloroform;
Trichloromethane;
Liver toxicity;
Toxic hepatitis;
Cleanroom
- MeSH:
Chloroform*;
Drug-Induced Liver Injury;
Female;
Humans;
Korea;
Liver*;
Occupational Exposure
- From:Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
2014;26(1):49-49
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
We report 2 cases of hepatotoxicity in cleanroom workers due to high retained chloroform air concentrations. The women, aged 34 and 41 years, who had been working in a medical endoscopic device manufacturer as cleanroom workers for approximately 40-45 days suffered severe liver damage. Two measured time-weighted averages of the chloroform concentration in the air in the cleanroom were 82.74 and 64.24 ppm, which are more than 6 times the legal occupational exposure limit in Korea. Only 7% of the cleanroom air was newly introduced from outside. The clinical courses of these cases and workplace inspection, led us to conclude that both cases of hepatotoxicity were caused by chloroform exposure.
