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Polyurethane Resins

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Kanerva's Occupational Dermatology

Abstract

Polyurethane (PU) products are formed by reacting a di- or polyfunctional isocyanate with a polyol in the presence of suitable catalysts and additives.

The main occupationally hazard associated with PU chemicals are isocyanates, which have an adverse effect on the respiratory tract including both airway irritation and immunologically mediated outcomes.

Exposure to isocyanates and auxiliary chemicals may also result in both allergic and irritant contact dermatitis, as well as contact and generalized urticaria, and the typical localization is hands and face.

When patch-testing workers exposed to polyurethane chemicals it is advisable to test with their own work material in addition to the commercially available patch-test preparations of diisocyanates. A second reading on day 7 is advisable since positive reactions may appear late. Positive reactions to methylenedianiline (MDA) (also known as diaminodiphenylmethane) should be taken into account as it may be an important marker for diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) sensitivity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Skåne University Hospital (SUS), Lund University, Ing 73 plan 5, Malmö, S-205 02, Sweden

    Dr. Malin Frick-Engfeldt

  2. Terveystalo Healthcare Oyj, Mäntypaadentie 13 as 5, Helsinki, FI-00830, Finland

    Dr. Tuula Estlander

  3. Control of Hypersensitivity Diseases, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, Helsinki, FI-00250, Finland

    Dr. Riitta Jolanki

Authors
  1. Dr. Malin Frick-Engfeldt
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  2. Dr. Tuula Estlander
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  3. Dr. Riitta Jolanki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Malin Frick-Engfeldt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  2. Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany

    Peter Elsner

  3. Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany

    Swen-Malte John

  4. Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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Frick-Engfeldt, M., Estlander, T., Jolanki, R. (2012). Polyurethane Resins. In: Rustemeyer, T., Elsner, P., John, SM., Maibach, H.I. (eds) Kanerva's Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02035-3_53

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02035-3_53

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-02034-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-02035-3

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