Exposure to Epoxy Compounds and Allergies

Exposure to epoxy compounds can lead to allergic contact dermatitis and eczema according to a recent study published in Contact Dermatitis.

Occupational outbreaks of reactions to high molecular weight (HMW) allergens can occur episodically and can be severe and life-altering for those affected. These allergies can affect large numbers of easily identified workers in specific industries, reaching epidemic proportions such as latex allergy and Baker's asthma.

Study Overview

The practical importance of two recently described epoxy hardener allergens — 1,3-benzenedimethanamine, N-(2-phenylethyl) derivatives (1,3-BDMA-D) and hydrogenated formaldehyde benzenamine polymer (FBAP) — as occupational allergens remains to be defined.

Researchers conducted a study to describe patients diagnosed at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) with positive reactions to 1,3-BDMA-D or FBAP. Researchers searched FIOH's patch test files from January 2017 to December 2020 for patients examined due to suspected occupational contact allergy to epoxy compounds. We analyzed the patch test results and sources of exposure to various epoxy hardeners and focused on occupations, symptoms, and the sources of exposure to 1,3-BDMA-D and FBAP.

Results

During the study period, 102 patients were examined at FIOH for suspected occupational contact allergy to epoxy compounds. Of these, 19 (18%) were diagnosed with contact allergy to 1,3-BDMA-D (n=10) or FBAP (n=12). The largest occupational group was sewage pipe reliners (n=8). Seven different hardener products contained FBAP, whereas 1,3-BDMA-D was only present in one hardener used by spray painters.

Thus, a substantial number of patients with suspected occupational epoxy resin system allergy tested positive to in-house test substances of 1,3-BDMA-D and/or FBAP.

Reference

The study, "Characterization of patients with occupational allergy to two new epoxy hardener compounds," by Sari Suomela et al. was published in Contact Dermatitis.

Read the full study

Keywords

• occupational allergy
• Characterization of patients with occupational allergy
• occupational allergy treatment
• allergic-contact dermatitis
• eczema
• Exposure to epoxy compounds
• cause of allergic-contact dermatitis
• Contact Dermatitis
• Sari Suomela
• Maria Pesonen
• Katriina Ylinen
• Kristiina Aalto-Korte
• Katri Suuronen