Trichloroethylene is a probable risk factor for Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism, a study here found. The finding came from a study of 31 workers at an industrial plant, including three workers with Parkinson’s disease exposed to high levels of trichloroethylene, and from animal experiments, Don M. Gash, Ph.D., of the University of Kentucky, and colleagues reported online in the Annals of Neurology.
Trichloroethylene, a degreasing agent widely used in industry and the military, is also found in drinking water, surface water, and soil as a runoff from manufacturing sites. The chemical has been identified as an environmental contaminant by the Environmental Protection Agency.