Summary
Intoxications by organic isocyanates (OI) have been well known since since World War II.
The most known OI are toluene diisocyanata (TDI), diphenyl methane diisocyanata (MDI), naphthalene diisocyanate (NDI), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). All of these compounds are polymerized to polyurethane for many purposes.
Dicyclohexyl-methane-4-4′ diisocyanate (DMDI) is now used in Japan and Israel for coating glass bottle to prevent glass injuries among consumers. Eleven of 15 workers who were first exposed to DMDI showed allergic and non allergic skin reactions. Six suffered from vertigo with or without headaches and four developed a decrease of the obstructive lung function, tachycardia, and hypotension (EKG normal).
All were treated with oral antihistamines (per os) and local steroid application; the signs of the intoxication disappeared after 10–14 days from the beginning of the treatment.
There was no difference in the clinical syndrome between the workers belonging to the atopic group and the non-atopic workers. It seems that DMDI does not affect the respiratory tract as strongly as TDI. The chronic effects of DMDI and the OI are discussed. The difficulties of measuring DMDI in air are explained (TLV = 0.003 ppm).
Zusammenfassung
Vergiftungen durch organische Isocyanate (OI) sind schon seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg bekannt.
Die bekanntesten OI sind Toluylen-Diisocyanat (TDI), Diphenyl-Methan-Diisocyanat (MDI), Naphtylen-Diisocyanat (NDI) and Hexamethylen-Diisocyanat (HDI). Alle oben erwdhnten organischen Isocyanate werden für verschiedenartige Zwecke zu Polyurethane polymerisiert.
Das Dicyclohexyl-Methane-4-4′-Diisocyanate (DMDI) wird zur Zeit für Flaschenüberzüge in Japan and Israel benötigt, um so evtl. Verletzungen durch Glasscherben zu verhindern.
Elf von 15 Arbeitnehmern, die zuerst DMDI exponiert waren, zeigten vier bis sieben Tage nach Beginn der Exposition verschiedenartige Hautaffektionen im Bereich der unbedeckten Körperteile. Sechs litten an Vertigo mit oder ohne Kopfschmerzen und vier zeigten obstruktive Ventilationsstörungen, Tachykardie und Hypotension (EKG-Normal-Befund). Alle werden oral mit Antihistaminica und lokal mit Steroiden mit gutem Erfolg behandelt. Es konnten keine Unterschiede zwischen den Arbeitern der atopischen und der nicht-atopischen Gruppe festgestellt werden. Alle Zeichen der Vergiftung verschwanden nach 10 bis 14tägiger Behandlung. DMDI scheint nicht die Atemwege so stark anzugreifen wie TDI. Mögliche chronische Schädigungen werden diskutiert. Die Schwierigkeiten, DMDI in der Luft zu messen, werden festgestellt (MAK = 0,003 ppm).
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Israeli, R., Smirnov, V. & Sculsky, M. Vergiftungserscheinungen bei dicyclohexyl-methan-4-4′-diisocyanat-exposition. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 48, 179–184 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378439
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378439