CONCOMITANT SENSITIZATION TO TRIGLYCIDYL ISOCYANURATE, DIAMINODIPHENYLMETHANE AND 2-HYDROXYETHYL METHACRYLATE FROM SILK-SCREEN PRINTING COATINGS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIRCUIT BOARDS

A 48-year-old female silk-screen printer had worked in the manufacture of circuit boards for 12 years before she got the first symptoms of d ermatitis on her wrists and lower arms. On the 1st patch test session, epoxy resin and the remainder of the standard series were negative, w hile a plastics and glues series gave an allergic reaction to 4,4'-dia minodiphenylmethane (DDM). The 2nd test session revealed allergic reac tions to several acrylics, several epoxy compounds and 3 ink component s. According to the material safety data sheets, 1 ink hardener contai ned DDM, but the causative agent in 1 ink and 1 ink hardener remained uncertain. The manufacturers of the 2 inks kindly provided us with the ir components for further patch tests. 2 of these components gave alle rgic reactions: triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) and 2-hydroxyethyl met hacrylate (2-HEMA). Our case report shows that the manufacture of circ uit boards involves exposure to highly sensitizing chemicals. DDM, TGI C and 2-HEMA should be remembered as silk-screen printers' potential c ontact sensitizers in the manufacture of circuit boards.