| Aplastic Anemia in a Petrochemical Factory Worker Young Mann Baak, Byoung Yong Ahn, Hwang Shin Chang, Ji Hong Kim, Kyoung Ah Kim, and Young Lim Department of Industrial Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea Abstract
A petrochemical worker with aplastic anemia was referred to our hospital. He worked in a petroleum resin-producing factory and had been exposed to low-level benzene while packaging the powder resin and pouring lime into a deactivation tank. According to the yearly environmental survey of the working area, the airborne benzene level was approximately 0.28 ppm. Exposure to benzene, a common chemical used widely in industry, may progressively lead to pancytopenia, aplastic anemia, and leukemia. The hematotoxicity of benzene is related to the amount and duration of exposure. Most risk predictions for benzene exposures have been based on rubber workers who were exposed to high concentrations. In the petroleum industry, the concentration of benzene is relatively low, and there are disputes over the toxicity of low-level benzene because of a lack of evidence. In this paper we report the case of aplastic anemia induced by low-level benzene exposure. Key words: aplastic anemia, benzene, petrochemical worker. Environ Health Perspect 107:851-853 (1999) . [Online 13 September 1999] http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1999/107p851-853baak/ abstract.html Address correspondence to Y. Lim, Department of Industrial Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 62 Youido-dong, Youngdungpo-gu, Seoul, 150-010, Korea. Telephone: 82 02 3779 1401. Fax: 82 02 782 6017. E-mail: nglim@cmc.cuk.ac.kr We thank Y.H. Choi and S.K. Kang (Industrial Safety and Health Research Institute) , and J.W. Lee (Department of Internal Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital) for their professional and technical support. Received 1 June 1999 ; accepted 9 July 1999.
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