Visual contrast sensitivity in children exposed to tetrachloroethylene

This study examined relationships between indoor air, breath, and blood tetrachloroethylene (perc) levels and visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) among adult and child residents of buildings with or without a colocated dry cleaner using perc. Decreasing trends in proportions of adults or children with maximum VCS scores indicated decreased VCS at a single spatial frequency (12 cycles per degree [cpd]) among children residing in buildings with colocated dry cleaners when indoor air perc level averaged 336 μg/m³; breath perc level averaged 159.5 μg/m³; and blood perc level averaged 0.51 μg/L. Adjusted logistic regression indicated that increases in indoor air, breath, and blood perc levels among all child participants significantly increased the odds for decreased VCS at 12 cpd. Adult VCS was not significantly decreased by increasing indoor air, breath, or blood perc level. These results suggest that elevated residential perc exposures may alter children's VCS, a possible subclinical central nervous system effect.