Ototoxische Gefahrstoffe - zum Stand der Diskussion

摘要

Work related ototoxic substances current status of discussionIn recent years, there has been growing concern among scientists and the interested public about the possibility of hearing loss caused by chemicals (ototoxicity) at the workplace. This concern has emerged as a result of animal tests in which chemical-induced hearing impairment has been confirmed, particularly in rodents. These findings are supported to some extent by a number of epidemiological studies on workers employed in different industrial sectors.Ontheinternationallevel,thescientificdiscussions have led to an acknowledgement of the problem of ototoxicity in the legislation of the European Union. Thus, according to the European Noise Directive 2003/10/EC, the employer, at the risk assessment stage, must give particular attention to any effects on workers' health and safety resulting from interactions between noise and work-related ototoxic substances. While the ototoxic side effects of medicines (some antibiotics and cytostatic drugs as well as loop diuretics, salicylates and quinine) are relatively well understood,still little is known aboutthe hearing-damaging properties of industrial chemicals. Work-related ototoxic substances include a number of solvents, asphyxiants, nitriles and metals. The present literature study gives an overview of the current state of knowledge of the ototoxic properties of these substances, and conclusions for the field are also considered.