Low-level arsenic exposure in wood processing plants.

Abstract

In October 1978, seven construction workers building a pier in Monterey, California, developed symptoms consistent with arsenic intoxication and had elevated urinary levels of arsenic. The wood used for the pier had been pressure-treated with an arsenic preservative. To evaluate the potential acute medical hazards of preserving wood with arsenic, we evaluated employees at three California plants where arsenic preservatives are mixed and applied to wood. Histories, physical examinations, and urine specimens for arsenic analysis were collected from 44 workers exposed to arsenic and from 37 controls in three woodworking plants where arsenic is not used. A comparison of the groups failed to show any significant differences in history or physical examination. Adjustment for age, length of employment, and smoking histories did not alter the pattern. Urinary arsenic concentration was found to increase with increased exposure. These results do not imply absence of chronic or delayed toxicity, nor do they preclude the presence of a more subtle toxicity such as nerve conduction deficits. The data indicate existence of an arsenic exposure hazard in wood processing.U