US EPA

2071519 

Journal Article 

Polymer Fume Fever 

Bruton, DM 

1967 

Yes 

British Medical Journal
ISSN: 0007-1447 

NIOSH/00080467 

5876 

Two cases of polymer fume fever caused by smoking hand rolled cigarettes after working with contaminated surfaces are discussed. Both cases involve aircraft workers who roll their own cigarettes and were working on surfaces that had recently been sprayed with fluorocarbon aerosols. Both carry their smoking material in airtight tins. Within 30 minutes after smoking each experienced shivering and coldness, and headaches but not chest symptoms. No aerosol was sprayed during the work shifts. An experiment was conducted to determine if sprayed fluorocarbon telomer could be picked up by rubbing with the hand. Aerosol was sprayed on an aluminum surface according to manufacturers instructions and later the surface was wiped with a finger. A line became visible across the rubbed surface and a faint white dust was visible on the finger. It is concluded that there was contamination of both workers' hands and that there was a maximum transfer to the smoking materials because both rolled their own cigarettes, this causing the inhalation of the polymer fumes.