Petroleum naphtha fraction, co-processed (catalytic cracking) with renewable hydrocarbons of plant and/or animal origin

Exposure related observations in humans: other data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

exposure-related observations in humans: other data

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Acceptable well-documented study report which meets basic scientific principles.

Data source

Reference

Reference 1

Title:

Gasoline vapour exposures. Part I. Characterisation of workplace exposures.

Author:

Halder CA, et al.

Year:

1986

Bibliographic source:

Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 47:164-172.

Reference 2

Title:

Neuropsychological Symptoms Among Tanker Drivers with Exposure to Solvents

Author:

Hakkola M

Year:

1994

Bibliographic source:

Occup. Med. 44:243-246.

Reference 3

Title:

Neuropsychological Symptoms Among Tanker Drivers Exposed to Gasoline

Author:

Hakkola M, Honkasalo M-L, Pulkkinen P

Year:

1996

Bibliographic source:

Occup. Med. 46(2):125-130.

Reference 4

Title:

Changes in Neuropsychological Symptoms and Moods Among Tanker Drivers exposed to Gasoline During a Work Week

Author:

Hakkola M, Honkasalo ML, Pulkkinen P

Year:

1997

Bibliographic source:

Occup. Med. 47(6):344-348.

Reference 5

Title:

Exposure of Tanker Drivers to Gasoline and Some of Its Components

Author:

Hakkola M, Saarinen L

Year:

1996

Bibliographic source:

Ann. Occup. Hyg. 40(1):1-10.

Reference 6

Title:

Behavioral studies in petrol pump workers

Author:

Kumar P, Gupta K, Clerk S

Year:

1988

Bibliographic source:

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 61:35-38.

Reference 7

Title:

Occupational exposure of petrol pump workers

Author:

Pandya K, Rao G, Dhasmana A, Zaidi S

Year:

1975

Bibliographic source:

Annals of Occupational Hygiene 18:363-364.

Reference 8

Title:

An investigation of environmental impact on health of workers at retail petrol pumps

Author:

Das M, Bhargava SK, Kumar A. et al.

Year:

1991

Bibliographic source:

Ann Occup Hyg 35(3):347-352.

Materials and methods

Type of study / information:

Type of experience: Human

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Executive summary:

These studies do not provide useful data for risk assessment purposes, given that the authors provided no quantitative exposure-response analyses that could be used to generate a NOAEL. Moreover, the overall findings do not suggest substantive neurological effects at the ambient gasoline/benzene concentrations typically experienced by European or US fuel handlers. The symptom distributions reported in the Scandinavian studies are compatible with random chance, given that there are generally few statistically significant findings among multiple exploratory analyses. This is consistent with the relatively low-level and sporadic nature of the gasoline exposure in these studies. However, it is important to remember that symptoms are a relatively crude and insensitive metric for estimating neurobehavioral effects.

 

Studies of Indian fuel handlers reported increased symptoms and poorer neurological test results than unexposed controls, but these workers experienced relatively high levels of gasoline vapors, with benzene concentrations exceeding 10 ppm in many instances. Das et al. (1991) reported a wide range of symptoms associated with petrol station employees, including non-neurologic effects such as throat congestion and bleeding gums, suggesting possible exposure to toxicants other than solvents. Also, some of these Indian workers had been exposed for up to 35 years, suggesting the possibility of neurological impact from recent or historical lead exposure.