US EPA

1316645 

Technical Report 

Contact Dermatitis from Phenol-Formaldehyde Resins 

Bruze, M 

1987 

Bruze, M 

NIOSH/00178188 

Second Edition 

430-435 

A brief discussion was presented of the chemistry of phenol/formaldehyde (PF) resins, uses of PF resins, contact allergy and dermatitis due to PF resins, associations between PF resin contact allergy and other sensitizers, and treatment and prevention of PF resin dermatitis. Although PF resins were commonly based on phenol (108952) itself, other phenolic type compounds were used to a limited extent, for example, p-tert-butylphenol (PTBP) (98544). Contact dermatitis was found to be the most frequent adverse reaction to PF resins, and PTBP formaldehyde resin was the most frequently reported sensitizer. Two derivatives of PTBP were established as contact sensitizers in PTBP formaldehyde resins. In addition to formaldehyde (50000), not a main allergen, 14 other contact sensitizers were recognized in PF resins. Structural formulas were shown for these phenolic compounds. Positive test reactions to PTBP formaldehyde resin varied between 0.8 and 2.4 percent when used as part of the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group standard test series. Possible relationships between contact allergy to PF resins were noted with colophony, balsam-of-Peru (8007009) and perfume mixture. Treatment of PF resin dermatitis was the same as for other types of contact dermatitis. Prevention of PF resin dermatitis generally was based on decreasing the exposure. 

DCN-166054; Industrial dermatoses; Allergens; Phenols; Thermosetting plastics; Polymers; Sensitization; Occupational hazards; Industrial exposures; Aldehydes; Synthetic resins; Contact dermatitis