Posted By Paul Bellis
Certain drugs and chemicals in th eworkplace can be Toxic to the ear = ototoxic

Exposure to these substances may result in hearing loss. The substances are called ototoxins.
They may damage the cochlea in the inner ear and/or the auditory neurological pathways.

Hearing damage is more likely if exposure is to a combination of substances or to a combination of the substance and noise.

Ototoxins can be divided into two general classes:
workplace chemicals and medication.

Workplace chemicals thought to be ototoxic either on their own or in combination with noise include:

• solvents such as butanol, carbon disulphide, ethyl benzene,heptane, n-hexane, styrene, toluene, trichloroethylene and xylene;
• metals such as arsenic, lead, manganese, mercury and organic tin;
• pesticides such as organophosphates and paraquat; and
• asphyxiants such as acrylonitrile, carbon monoxide and hydrogen
cyanide.

Some medications that have been identified as ototoxins are some anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-malarial and antirheumatic drugs, loop diuretics and antibiotics.


Paul