Occupational Exposure to Inhalation Anesthetics and Effects on Selected Psychical Functions

Overview

The paper deals with the effects of exposure to nitrogen oxide and halothane on selected psychical functions of 26 employees, 17men and 9 women in anethesiology-resuscitation wards. The aim of the contribution is to expand the information to evaluatejustification of recommended values of maximum allowable concentrations in workplace atmosphere. Evaluation of the effect ofexposure on psychical functions was based on psychological examination of the employees performed always before the workplaceexposure and immediately after it. This arrangement is of advantage for making it possible to evaluate the dynamics of changes ofthe referred functions in the course of the work performance, while the subjects are under the influence of inhalation anesthetics,but also other factors inherent to the anethesiologist’s work. The persons under study were divided into the more exposed groupA and less exposed group B. The comparison of results of psychological examination of persons in groups A and B, respectively,makes it possible to estimate that the values of average (all-shift) maximum allowable concentrations of nitrogen oxide (180 mg .m -3 ) and halothan (50 mg . m -3 ) are accetable from the hygienic point of view.q

Key words:
inhalation anesthetics, occupational exposure, psychical functions