OCCUPATIONAL ALLERGIC CONTACT-DERMATITIS CAUSED BY 2,4,6-TRIS-(DIMETHYLAMINOMETHYL)PHENOL, AND REVIEW OF SENSITIZING EPOXY-RESIN HARDENERS

Background. Epoxy resin compounds (ERC) include a large number of sens itizing chemicals such as epoxy resins (ER), hardeners (curing agents) , and reactive diluents. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) caused by E RCS is Often occupational. Materials and Methods. We report a patient, sensitized to a hardener of a two-component epoxy paint. Three conven tional patch test sessions were performed to diagnose the causative ch emical. We also review the literature on sensitizing epoxy-resin harde ners. Results. A 47-year-old nonatopic woman developed dermatitis from a two-component epoxy paint. Patch testing with epoxy resin was negat ive, but 2,4,6-tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol (tris-DMP), used in the paint hardener, induced an allergic patch test reaction. We also revi ew briefly other epoxy hardeners that have caused allergic dermatitis, including: (1) aliphatic polyamines, e.g., ethylenediamine, diethylen etriamine, triethylenetetramine, 8-dimethylaminopropylamine, and trime thylhexamethylenediamine; (2) cycloaliphatic polyamines, e.g., isophor onediamine and 3,3'-dimethyl-4,4-diaminodicyclohexylmethane (3) aromat ic amines, such as 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane, m-phenylene diamine, a nd 1,3-xylylene diamine; (4) dicyanodiamide; (5) triglycidyl isocyanur ate, an epoxy compound that may be used as an epoxy-resin hardener; an d (6) additives in epoxy accelerators, such as hexavalent chromate. Co nclusions. No one chemical can be used to screen for sensitization to the many different epoxy hardeners. Extensive patch testing may be req uired to reveal the hardener that has caused the allergy. The hardener , 2,4,6-tris-(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol (tris-DMP), is a new sensitiz er. To verify ACD caused by tris-DMP, patch-testing at 1% in petrolatu m is suggested.