title: Contact allergy to the monomers in p-tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin.
abstract: In many adhesive formulations p-tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin (PTBP-F-R) is used as a binder. Contact allergy to this resin is not rare. In patients hypersensitive to PTBP-F-R, and butylphenol derivatives therein, it is for diagnostic and preventive reasons necessary to know the nature of the primary sensitizing substances, as well as the cross-reaction patterns for these. The aim of this study was to investigate contact allergy to monomers in PTBP-F-R and potential cross-reacting substances. 12 patients hypersensitive to PTBP-F-R were patch tested with 2 monomers, the raw materials formaldehyde and p-tert-butylphenol, and 3 closely related substances. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to investigate the purity of the test substances. It was shown that the monomers 2-methylol p-tert-butylphenol and 2,6-dimethylol p-tert-butylphenol could elicit allergic reactions in humans hypersensitive to PTBP-F-R. No simultaneous reactions or cross-reactions were shown to formaldehyde, p-tert-butylphenol, p-tert-butylcatechol, 2(3)-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) or 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT). It was also shown that low amounts of contaminants in the test substances, if not taken into account, could influence the conclusions drawn from the test results obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. erik.zimerson@derm.mas.lu.se
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zimerson
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruze
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003429:Cross Reactions; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D012117:Resins, Synthetic; C014273:p-tert-butylphenolformaldehyde resin