Genotoxicity Research

Styrene is of low concern for potential genotoxic effects.

Genotoxicity studies reported since 1989 reinforce the findings from previous studies that styrene is not mutagenic (i.e. causing DNA mutations), or only very weakly so.

One published literature review concluded that increases in cytogenetic (i.e. cell) effects reported in some studies on styrene workers are probably attributable to the presence of other chromosome-damaging agents in the workplace, and/or to inadequate investigations (Scott, 1993, Scott and Preston, 1994). Human studies reporting increased chromosomal aberrations must be viewed cautiously, since controlled exposures in rodent studies at concentrations of up to 20 times higher than workplace exposure levels did not result in chromosomal aberrations.

Human Studies

This section is currently under construction.

Animal Studies

This section is currently under construction.