This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Lewandowski, T A Articles by Beck, B D Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lewandowski, T A Articles by Beck, B D Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Risk evaluation of occupational exposure to methylene dianiline and toluene diamine in polyurethane foam

Gradient Corporation, 600 Stewart St., Suite 803, Seattle, WA 98101, USAtlewandowski{at}gradientcorp.com

A W Hayes

Harvard School of Public Health, 298 Main Street, Andover, MA 01810, USA

B D Beck

Gradient Corporation, 20 University Road, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA

Methylene diphenylisocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) are widely used in industry to produce polyurethane foam products. Small amounts of methylenedianiline (MDA) and toluene diamine (TDA) are released during MDI and TDI polymerization and may be present in newly finished polyurethane foam parts. MDA and TDA concentrations in foam decline exponentially within several hours of demolding. MDA and the 2,4-isomer of TDA are known animal carcinogens and, in addition, have significant non-carcinogenic health effects. Our goal was to determine whether worker exposure to MDA or TDA in freshly produced polyurethane foams was associated with unacceptable health risks. Sampling and analysis of the fresh foam indicated that MDA and TDA concentrations varied considerably among products, but concentrations in all materials evaluated declined rapidly over time. We found that, under a worst-case exposure scenario, cancer risks from TDA exposure were approximately 5-10 6, whereas cancer risks from MDA exposure resulted in a tumorigenic margin of exposure (MOE) of 85 000. Non-cancer chronic hazard indices were well below 1.0. Therefore, the potential cancer and non-cancer health risks from MDA or TDA exposure to newly manufactured foam parts appear to fall well within acceptable health risk criteria.

Key Words: methylene dianiline • occupational exposure • polyurethane • risk assessment • toluene diamine

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 24, No. 12, 655-662 (2005)
DOI: 10.1191/0960327105ht587oa


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?