.
NIOSH: Erionite Is an Emerging
Hazard
A post to the NIOSH Science Blog in November 2011 describes erionite, a naturally occurring mineral usually found in
volcanic ash that has been altered by
weathering and ground water, as an
emerging hazard in North America. Erionite deposits exist throughout the western U.S., and disturbance of the material
can generate airborne fibers with physical properties and health effects similar
to those of asbestos.
According to the NIOSH blog post,
erionite-related disease has most often
been reported in
road construction
and maintenance
workers who have
potentially been
exposed to gravel
containing erionite
while engaged in
road surfacing. No
regulatory or consensus standards or
occupational exposure limits exist for airborne erionite
fibers. The National Toxicology Program
(NTP) classifies erionite as a known
human carcinogen.
To read the post to the NIOSH Science
Blog, visit http://1.usa.gov/nioshscience
blogerionite. The report on erionite from
NTP’s Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth
Edition is available at http://ntp.niehs.
nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/profiles/
Erionite.pdf.
perchloroethylene (PERC)—have been
linked to the development of Parkinson’s.
For this study, researchers investi-
gated only occupational chemical expo-
sure—specifically, jobs involving
electrical work, industrial machinery re-
pair and dry cleaning, all of which could
expose people to chemicals previously
linked to Parkinson’s. Researchers also
gathered information on head injuries,
which are suspected of enhancing the
risk of Parkinson’s, and smoking history,
which decreases the risk. The study is
available in the Nov. 14 issue of Annals
of Neurology.
.
.
NIH: Risk for Parkinson’s May Be
Tied to Occupational Chemical
Exposure
According to a Nov. 14 National Institutes
of Health (NIH) press release, a recent
NIH-funded study found that repeated occupational exposure to certain chemical
solvents increases the risk for Parkinson’s
disease. Researchers from the Parkinson’s
Institute in Sunnyvale, Calif., analyzed
the work histories of twins, one of whom
developed Parkinson’s, and evaluated that
twin’s likelihood of exposure to six chemicals previously linked to the disease. Of
these six chemicals, two common chemical solvents—trichloroethylene (TCE) and
