Exposure to nitroaromatic explosives and health effects during disposal of military waste.

To investigate the exposure to dinitrotoluene (DNT) and trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the resulting effects in workers which occur during the disposal of military waste.Eighty two employees from a mechanical plant in Germany were studied, of whom 51 were regularly exposed to ammunition containing TNT and DNT, 19 occasionally, and 12 not at all.Air analyses yielded maximum concentrations of 20 micro g/m(3) for 2,4-DNT and 3250 micro g/m(3) for 2,4,6-TNT, respectively. The maximum concentrations in the urine of workers regularly exposed amounted to 5.0 micro g/l of 2,4,6-TNT, 1464.0 micro g/l of 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, 6693.0 of micro g/l 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, 2.1 micro g/l of 2,4-DNT, …