Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Case Studies in Environmental Medicine (CSEM) 

Trichloroethylene Toxicity
Posttest

Posttest

1. Which of the following products contain trichloroethylene?
   1. anesthetic
   2. grain fumigant
   3. spot remover
   4. disinfectant
2. People can be exposed to trichloroethylene from
   1. environmental sources
   2. consumer products
   3. occupational sources
   4. all of the above
3. The common sources of non-occupational exposure to TCE are
   1. discharge to surface waters and groundwater by industry
   2. leaching from hazardous water landfills into groundwater
   3. continual volatilization of TCE from emission sources
   4. all of the above
4. Which of the following persons have an increased likelihood of trichloroethylene exposure?
   1. race-car drivers
   2. fabric cleaners
   3. pharmacists
   4. tree sprayers
5. NIOSH considers trichloroethylene a potential occupational carcinogen and recommends exposure limit of which as a 10-hour TWA
   1. 25 ppm
   2. 100 ppm
   3. 50 ppm
   4. none of the above
6. Which of the following statements about trichloroethylene is true?
   1. A large amount of absorbed TCE is exhaled unchanged
   2. Once absorbed, TCE is slowly cleared from the blood.
   3. most of an absorbed dose is metabolized in the liver
   4. Trichloroacetic acid is only detectable within 72 hours after TCE exposure.
7. Which of the following statements is not correctly described with regards to TCE metabolism?
   1. TCE accumulation occurs in organs containing high levels of adipose tissue
   2. Humans are uniform in their capacity for metabolism of TCE
   3. The pathways for metabolism of TCE in humans, rats, and mice are qualitatively similar
   4. Humans metabolize much less TCE on a body weight basis than rats or mice at similar exposure levels
8. Common clinical effects associated with acute exposure to pure TCE at concentrations > 2,000 ppm include
   1. CNS depression
   2. nausea
   3. upper respiratory tract and eye irritation
   4. all of the above
9. Chronic exposure to TCE might
   1. cause headaches or drowsiness
   2. mildly alter liver function
   3. cause short-term memory deficits
   4. all of the above
10. The main systemic response to TCE exposure is
    1. respiratory depression
    2. CNS depression
    3. gastrointestinal irritation
    4. skin irritation
11. Laboratory tests to confirm TCE exposure include
    1. breath analysis for trichloroacetic acid
    2. cardiac isoenzymes
    3. blood analysis for trichloroethanol
    4. urinary creatinine
12. Treatment for acute inhalation of TCE might include
    1. oxygen
    2. hemodialysis
    3. emesis
    4. milk of magnesia

Relevant Content

To review content relevant to the posttest questions, see:

What is trichloroethylene?

Where is trichloroethylene found?

How are people exposed to trichloroethylene?

Who’s at risk of trichloroethylene exposure?

What Are the U.S. Standards for trichloroethylene exposure?

What is the biologic fate of trichloroethylene in the body?

What is the biologic fate of trichloroethylene in the body?

What are the physiological effects of trichloroethylene?

What are the physiological effects of trichloroethylene?

How should patients exposed to trichloroethylene be evaluated?

What laboratory tests can assist in the evaluation of patients exposed to trichloroethylene?

How should patients exposed to trichloroethylene be treated and manage?