Male exposure mediated adverse reproductive outcomes in carbon disulphide exposed rayon workers

The authors examined 100 carbon disulphide (CS2) exposed male workers who had been employed ten years prior to study were selected for the study. They were virtually obliged to participate in the study by the Medical Labor Inspector and all of them participated voluntary. The aim was to assess the effects of occupational exposure to carbon disulphide concentrations below the threshold limit value (31 mg/m3) on the reproductive functions with special emphasis on miscarriages. Specially, workers history records were build up on number of children, miscarriages and general weakness, mental fatigue etc. It was found that the incidences of number of miscarriages against number of living children correlated well with environmental concentration of CS2. Where the average CS2 levels were 1.695 ppm, the incidences of miscarriages was 5.71% (group 1). Where as in group 2 environmental concentrations were 12.28 ppm and the incidences of miscarriages were 18.91%. It was also found that in the spinning department the exposure exceeds many times the Threshold Limit Values (TL V).