Literature review – Chemical substances and effect on hearing Abstract In the context of a systematic literature analysis on chemical substances and their effects on hearing, the authors evaluated the rigour of the methodologies used for measuring these effects and examined the consistency and differences that existed between studies on a given substance. They then developed a “decision grid” for making a judgment on the strength of proof of a causal relationship between exposure to the substances studied and the impact on hearing. The studied substances were classified according to four types of conclusions: the substance is ototoxic; it is possibly ototoxic; its ototoxicity has not been conclusively proven; there is no proof of ototoxicity. According to this method, ototoxic substances are: lead, styrene, toluene and trichloroethylene. Substances that are possibly ototoxic are: ethylbenzene, n-hexane and xylene.The authors conclude that follow-up on the auditory system of workers exposed to substances belonging to the first two categories is relevant. They also believe that the possible interaction between exposure to these substances and noise is a factor to be considered in the development of prevention and worker follow-up programs. Produced Under this Project Scientific Reports Chemical substances and effect on hearing - Literature review Research Report: R-604 Simplified Articles Substances chimiques et auditionLa prudence est de mise Volume 24, n0 1 Scientific Publications Évaluation des agents ototoxiques et leur interaction avec le bruit dans les milieux de travailLim S., Leroux T., Truchon G., Vyskocil A.Source : in L'esprit en mouvement : 75e congrès de l'Association francophone pour le savoir / ACFAS, (75e : 7-11 mai, 2007 : Trois-Rivières, Canada), 2007Effects of occupational exposure to chemicals on hearing - a weight of evidence approachVyskocil A., Truchon G., Leroux T., Lemay F., Lim S., Gagnon F., Gendron M., El Majidi N., Viau C.Source : in Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting and ToxExpo (47th : March 16-20, 2008 : Seattle, United States), 2008Ototoxicity of trichloroethylene in concentrations relevant for the working environmentVyskocil A., Leroux T., Truchon G., Lemay F., Gagnon F., Gendron M., Viau C.Source : Human & Experimental Toxicology, vol. 27, no 3, 2008, p. 195-200Occupational ototoxicity of n-hexaneVyskocil A., Leroux T., Truchon G., Gendron M.Source : Human & Experimental Toxicology, vol. 27, no 6, 2008, p. 471-476Ethyl benzene should be considered ototoxic at occupationally relevant exposure concentrationsVyskocil A., Leroux T., Truchon G., Lemay F., Gagnon F., Gendron M., Gagnon F., El Majidi N., Viau C.Source : Toxicology and Industrial Health, vol. 24, no 4, 2008, p. 241-246Effects of occupational exposure to chemicals on hearing - a weight of evidence approachVyskocil A., Truchon G., Leroux T., Lemay F., Lim S., Gagnon F., Viau C.Source : Toxicological Sciences, vol. 102, no 1-S, 2008, p. 128Assessment of the occupational ototoxicity of n-hexaneVyskocil A., Leroux T., Truchon G., Lemay F., Gendron M., Gagnon F., El Majidi N., Viau C.Source : Toxicology Letters, vol. 180, Suppl. 1, 2008, p. S150Ototoxicity of trichloroethylene in concentrations relevant for the working environment (Poster)Vyskocil A., El Majidi N., Leroux T., Truchon G., Lemay F., Gendron M., Gagnon F., Viau C.Source : in Recherche en santé et sécurité du travail en action : méthodes, résultats et applications : Congrès en santé et sécurité du travail / ACRST-RRSSTQ, (15-17 juin, 2008 : Montréal, Canada), 2008Assessment of the occupational ototoxicity of n-hexaneVyskocil A., Leroux T., Truchon G., Lemay F., Gendron M., Gagnon F., El Majidi N., Viau C.Source : in Eurotox 2008 : 45th Congress of The European Societies of Toxicology (October 5-8, 2008 : Rhodes, Greece), 2008 Additional Information Type: Project Number: 0099-5420 Status: Completed Year of completion: 2009 Research Field: Chemical and Biological Hazard Prevention Team: Ginette Truchon (IRSST)Adolf Vyskocil (Université de Montréal)Tony Leroux (Université de Montréal)François Lemay (IRSST)Jacques Blain (IRSST)Martine Gendron (Université de Montréal)