實驗室進排氣口配置不當所引起之甲硫醇中毒事件

An Outbreak of Methyl Mercaptan Intoxication Caused by an Inappropriate Arrangement of Exhaust Ventilation System in a Laboratory

蘇大成(Ta-Chen Su) ； 王榮德(Jung-Der Wang)

《中華公共衛生雜誌》 18卷4期 (1999/08) Pp. 293-298

https://doi.org/10.6288/CJPH1999-18-04-08

摘要

目標及研究之背景：此研究欲決定一群辦公室行政人員在一次暴發流行全身倦怠、疲勞，頭暈及胸悶的發生原因及致病因子。台北某研究所位於五樓的實驗室，於1998年7月8日（星期三）早上，使用甲硫醇(methyl mercaptan)做分子作用的實驗，位於同樓一樓辦公室的行政人員，則於下午同時聞到劇臭的腐屍味，聞後即感到喉嚨及鼻粘膜強烈不適，大部分人覺得全身倦怠、疲勞，頭暈，胸問及呼吸困難。7月12日晚該實驗室又重覆一次實驗，隔天早上，該所辦公室人員一上班就又聞到與前相同的惡臭味道，身體不適症狀即刻又發生。臨床檢查及現場訪視：該所十三位受害者，均被邀來院接受問卷調查、體檢、及實驗室檢查，項目包括胸部X光檢查、血液學檢查、尿液分析及生化學檢查，並檢測變性血紅素百分比及血紅素結合素。經過三個月的臨床追蹤與檢查，該所受影響之行政人員皆已完全康復，其檢查結果皆正常。經現場勘查，證實應是局部排氣口正對著管道間通風口，導致實驗室所用之甲硫醇經此排氣口，進入管道間而隨重力況下一樓滲入辦公室肇禍，而造成此一事件的排氣管設置不當亦已改善。結論：此次暴發是由於實驗室局部排氣口與辦公室進氣口配置不當，所引起之甲硫醇中毒事件。本文在此提出說明，並呼籲有此類似潛在危險的實驗室皆應設法改善。

關鍵字

甲硫醇中毒 ； 局部排氣

並列摘要

Objectives and Backgrounds: This study is to determine the cause and etiological agent of an outbreak of chest tightness, upper respiratory symptoms and dizziness among a group of office workers. The incident occurred on the morning of July 8th, 1998, when a total of 13 office workers smelt a foul odor and developed symptoms of throat irritation (77%), chest tightness (62%), nose irritation (46%), fatigue, dizziness and drowsiness (69%). Some of them suffered from diarrhea (46%), nausea (31%), muscle weakness (38%) and a staggering gait (15%). The odor stayed in the office for about 2 days before it faded. Clinical Examination and Field Investigation: We followed up these workers for three months with detailed clinical examinations and laboratory tests. No significant clinical sequelae or laboratory abnormalities were found. A field investigation found that this outbreak correlated well with an experiment, which discharged methyl mercaptan on the 5th floor of the same building. The outlet of the laboratory discharge directly faced (less than 1 meter away) the inlet for the general ventilation pipelines for the building. As the density of methyl mercaptan is heavier than that of air, it sank to the first floor and the incident occurred. After the duct and outlet for the laboratory exhaust were extended to the roof of the building, the outbreak stopped. Conclusions: The outbreak was due to methyl mercaptan and the poor design of the local exhaust ventilation system.

並列關鍵字

Methyl mercaptan intoxication ； local exhaust ventilation