Contact dermatitis to polyester spin finishes
A female laboratory assistant, aged 28, showed yellow stained palms and nails when examined for paronychia of two fingers. Determination of amylase involved contact with dinitro salicylic acid (DNSA) in several steps. It was found that plastic gloves used in dishwashing the utensils were rapidly penetrated by DNSA. Though she did not work with DNSA for 4 months, the yellow stains did not disappear. Yellow stains were now also observed on her cheeks and soles. For about 2 months she had been taking a drug containing Nitrazepam, 5phenyl-7-nitro-lH -1.4-benzodiazepin-2(3H)-on. She stopped using Nitrazepam and the yellow staining decreased, but when she again beg~n to have contact with DNSA in her work, the yellow stains had not disappeared completely. They increased again on palms and nails but not on cheeks or soles. She then moved to another place and it has not been possible to examine her again. It is obvious that the patient's skin was first stained yellow by DNSA. It can only be suspected but not established with certainty that Nitrazepam gave yellow stains on her cheeks and soles. We did not find reports on yellow staining from Nitrazepam, nor does the manufacturer have any such reports on file. It is known that aromatic nitro compounds stain skin, nails and hair yellow. Thus explosives, e.g. trinitrotoluene, give such staining. Some of the aromatic nitro compounds are yellow and can then stain by simple contamination. However, there is staining by chemical reaction, but the nature of this reaction seems to be only partly studied. Aromatic nitro compounds might combine with amino acids in three ways: The phenols act as weak acids and form salts with aminogroups in basic amino acids, e.g. histidine, lysine and argmme. DNSA acts in the same way. Aromatic nitro compounds may form charge transfer complexes with aromatic rings. Some amino acids, e.g. tryptophane, tyrosine and phenylalanine contain such rings. When the aromatic nitro compounds contain, for example, a halogen or a sulfonyl group, they may form covalent linkages with amino acids. Many of the aromatic nitro compounds are yellowish and the compounds formed may therefore become stained. Particularly the covalent linkage can change the color and strong yellow staining may arise from weak or uncolored aromatic nitro compounds.
Chloracetamide in nylon spin finish
Dermatitis of the hands was investigated in seven employees in a plant manufacturing nylon yam. The company employed about 2250 persons, making nylon thread for use in textiles, carpets and so on. A so-called 'spin finish' is applied to the nylon thread to give it special qualities. A wide variety of finishes are used for this purpose. Some are simple lubricants such as olive oil but many are proprietary products of complex formulation. In the factory studied only 60 employees were exposed to the spin finish in the 'spin off area. During the past year seven of them were seen with dermatitis of the hands. The finish contained Grotan HD at a concentration of 0.075 %. Patch tests were carried out on the seven patients with the chemical at the usage concentration in water. All gave a positive reaction, six with a two plus (+ +) and one with a one plus (+) reaction. All were patch test negative to formalin (2 % aq.). Grotan HD is methylol chloracetamide. The other ingredient in the spin finish was a synthetic coolant; the patients were not tested with the material separately. After the outbreak of dermatitis the spin finish containing the Grotan HD was withdrawn and replaced by an alternative finish. The patients were not tested with chloracetamide. This material has been used as a preservative in cosmetics and wallpaper paste and has been reported as a cause of contact dermatitis (Bang Pedersen & Fregert 1976, Nater 19'71). Draize testing has also shown it to be a contact sensitizer by Marzulli & Maibach (1973).
Antimicrobials: Experimental contact sensitization in man
Synopsis Predictive CONTACT SKIN SENSITIZATION data have been developed for 23 ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS using the DRAIZE procedure on normal human test subjects. In some cases results are exploratory and involve about 50 subjects; in most cases 100 or more subjects were used and more meaningful sensitization indices obtained. The data were developed on antimicrobials currently in use or contemplated for use as cosmetic or drug PRESERVATIVES or for their GERMICIDAL PROPERTIES when used on skin.