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Respiratory and other hazards of isocyanates

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Abstract

Isocyanates are increasingly being used for manufacturing polyurethane foam, elastomers, adhesives, paints, coatings, insecticides, and many other products. At present, they are regarded as one of the main causes of occupational asthma. The large number of workers who are exposed to these chemicals have a concentration-dependent risk of developing chronic airway disorders, especially bronchial asthma. Different pathophysiologic mechanisms are involved. Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated sensitization and irritative effects have been clearly demonstrated in both exposed subjects and animals. Presumably, neural inflammation due to neuropeptide release of capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves is crucial. We collected data on 1780 isocyanate workers who had been examined by our groups. Of them 1095 (including subjects from outpatient departments) had work-related symptoms, predominantly of the respiratory tract. Specific IgE antibodies were found in 14% of the 1095 subjects. The methacholine challenge test was shown to be an inadequate predictor of the results of inhalative isocyanate provocation tests in workers and in asthmatic controls. Isocyanate (toluene diisocyanate TDI) air concentrations of 10 ppb (0.07 mg/m3) and 20 ppb (0.14 mg/m3), respectively, did not cause significant bronchial obstruction in the majority of previously unexposed asthmatics with bronchial hyperreactivity. IgG-mediated allergic alveolitis, a rare disease among isocyanate workers, was found in approximately 1 % of the symptomatic subjects. Experimental studies exhibit dose-dependent toxic effects and give evidence for tachykinin-mediated bronchial hyperreactivity after exposure to isocyanates. The clinical role of genotoxic effects of isocyanates and their by-products demonstrated here in vitro and in vivo has yet to be clarified.

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Abbreviations

ACH :

acetylcholine

BALF :

bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

CGRP :

calcitonin gene-related peptide

cpm :

counts per minute

DMSO :

dimethylsulfoxide

EAST :

enzyme allergo sorbent test

FEV 1 :

forced expiratory volume in one second

HDI :

hexamethylene diisocyanate

HSA :

human serum albumin

IGV :

intrahoracic gas volume, measured by bodyplethysmography

IVC :

inspiratory vital capacity

LC 50 :

lethal concentration for 50% of tested animals

MDI :

diphenylmethane diisocyanate

PD 50(100)/PC 50(100) :

dose/concentration causing a change of 50% (100%) of the parameter indicated

ppb (ppm) :

parts per billion (million)

RAST :

radio allergo sorbent test

Raw :

airway resistance, measured by bodyplethysmography

sRaw :

specific airway resistance, measured by bodyplethysmography

TDI :

toluene diisocyanate

TLV :

threshold limit value

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professional Associations' Research Institute for Occupational Medicine, (BGFA) at the Ruhr University of Bochum, Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, D-44789, Bochum, Germany

    X. Baur, W. Marek, J. Ammon, A. B. Czuppon, B. Marczynski & M. Raulf-Heimsoth

  2. Institute and Policlinic of Occupational Medicine, University of Munich, Germany

    H. Roemmelt & G. Fruhmann

Authors
  1. X. Baur
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  2. W. Marek
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  3. J. Ammon
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  4. A. B. Czuppon
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  5. B. Marczynski
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  6. M. Raulf-Heimsoth
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  7. H. Roemmelt
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  8. G. Fruhmann
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Additional information

These studies were partly supported by the Ministry of Research and Technology, Federal Republic of Germany, grant 07 ALL 16

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Baur, X., Marek, W., Ammon, J. et al. Respiratory and other hazards of isocyanates. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 66, 141–152 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380772

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