Flicker Fusion Test and Occupational Toxicology: Performance Evaluation in Workers Exposed to Lead and Solvents

1 In a group of 108 workers professionally exposed to low lead levels and in 35 shoe factory workers exposed to a mixture of solvents, neurotoxic effects were evaluated by means of Critical Flicker Frequency, used as single test of psychophysiological performance.2 A statistically significant lowering of CFF threshold was observed and, in the lead exposed group, this decrease is related to the biological parameter zinc protoporphyrin.3 The usefulness of CFF measure in environmental toxicology, together with other neurophysiological tests, is considered.