2-nitrophenol

Health surveillance data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

health surveillance data

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Scientifically acceptable publication.

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Increased concentrations of haemoglobin X and Y in the erythrocytes of workers in a chemical plant in Japan

Author:

Tomoda A, Tomioka K, Minami M

Year:

1989

Bibliographic source:

British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 46, 502-504

Materials and methods

Study type:

human medical data

Endpoint addressed:

other: repeated occupational exposure

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Blood samples were drawn from 21 production workers handling aromatic compounds such a p-nitrophenol, o-nitrophenol, 4-chlor-2-aminophenol, and 4-chlor-o-aminophenol after their consent.

GLP compliance:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

2-nitrophenol

EC Number:

201-857-5

EC Name:

2-nitrophenol

Cas Number:

88-75-5

Molecular formula:

C6H5NO3

IUPAC Name:

2-nitrophenol

Details on test material:

- Name of test material (as cited in study report): o-Nitrophenol
No further data is given.

Method

Type of population:

occupational

Details on study design:

Blood samples were drawn from 21 production workers handling aromatic compounds such a p-nitrophenol, o-nitrophenol, 4-chlor-2-aminophenol, and 4-chlor-o-aminophenol after their consent. 0.1 ml aliquots of bloodwere added to 5 ml distilled water and CO gas was bubbled through the haemolysates. The haemolysates were subjected to isoelectric focusing electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel plates (LKB - Pharmacia, pH 3.5-9.5) within five hours. After electrophoresis, the gels were treated with a fixing solution and analysed by gel-scanner. The percentages of haemoglobins X, Y, and A, half oxidised haemoglobins such as (α2+ ß3+)2 and (α3+ ß2+)2, methaemoglobin, and haemoglobins E and A2 were estimated by cutting out and weighing the chart paper.

Results and discussion

Results:

Half oxidised haemoglobins such as (α2+ ß3+)2 and (α3+ ß2+)2 and methaemoglobin were significantly increased in the erythrocytes. Furthermore, the results showed that two anodic components of haemoglobin (one like haemoglobin X4 and another which migrated to a position between haemoglobins X and A on electrophoresis) were present in large amounts. These unusual haemoglobins are not present in normal controls. From the gel-scanning analysis of the sample, the percentages of each haemoglobin in the total haemoglobin were: Haemoglobin X 7%; haemoglobin Y 22% haemoglobin A + haemoglobin F 57%; (α2+ ß3+)2 + (α3+ ß2+)2 8%; methaemoglobin 3%; and haemoglobin A2 3%.
Haemoglobins X and Y, half oxidised haemoglobins, and methaemoglobin were found to be greatly increased in the erythrocytes of every worker. The appearance of two new anodic components of haemoglobin in the erythrocytes of workers at a chemical plant may result from the oxidation and modification of intracellular haemoglobin A by chemicals absorbed at work. Some of these compounds are likely to become active after being metabolised in the liver.