The mortality experience of workers exposed to tetrachlorodibenzodioxin in a trichlorophenol process accident.

A standardized mortality analysis was conducted on workers exposed to tetrachlorodibenzodioxin in a trichlorophenol process accident at the Monsanto Company plant in Nitro, West Virginia. One hundred and twenty-one workers who developed chloracne resulting from this accident on March 8, 1949, were selected for study. Follow-up of this group was 100% complete. The standardized mortality ratio for all causes of death was shown to be 0.69, with 32 deaths observed and 46.41 expected. For the categories of malignant neoplasms and circulatory diseases, the standardized mortality ratios were 1.00 and 0.68, respectively. Because of the small size of the cohort and the relatively small number of deaths observed, the results of this study cannot be considered conclusive. However, it is important that no apparent excess in total mortality or in deaths from malignant neoplasms or diseases of the circulatory system was observed in a group of workers with a high peak exposure to tetrachlorodibenzodioxin who were followed over a period of nearly 30 years. The results of this study will be incorporated with those of a larger study which will include plant workers exposed in the course of 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid production during the period 1948 to 1969.