To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: CFC Alternative Causes Liver Disease URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/358AA.htm Doctor's Guide August 22, 1997
LONDON -- August 22, 1997 -- In this week's issue of The Lancet, Dr. Perrine Hoet and colleagues from Belgium and the United States report an epidemic of nine individuals who were exposed to the substitute for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and then developed liver disease. Erosion of the ozone layer by CFCs has led to legislation to reduce the production and use of these gases. HCFC 123 and 124 are now used, for example, as refrigerants in chillers for industrial air conditioning units. In the report, a description is given of one individual who became ill with symptoms of acute hepatitis, followed soon after by another. The nine people who eventually became ill were all working in a smelting depot and were drivers of an overhead gantry and all worked in a cabin connected to the same air-conditioning system. The CFCs used to run the system had been replaced by a mixture of HCFC 123 and 124. A technical inspection revealed that some plastic piping had perforated, allowing HCFC to leak into the cabin. Since repair of the pipe, no further cases of liver disease have been reported. The authors conclude that "there is an urgent need to develop safer alternatives" to CFCs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.