Abstract

BackgroundIn most reported cases of lung trauma with water proofing products, volatile organic compounds (VOC) have a prominent role. Here we report on a case involving ten workers exposed to a sprayed product containing nanoparticles in a water solution with only a few percent VOC.Case presentationTen workers suffered from respiratory symptoms following spray impregnation of hardwood furniture using a waterproofing product that contained positively charged fluorinated acrylate copolymer solid cores with a median diameter of 70 nm (1.3 w%) in aqueous suspension with 3.3 w% VOC and 0.3 w% quaternary ammonium. The worker who applied one liter of the product in a wood workshop, using an air mix spray gun, did not report any health complaints. Another worker, who entered the workshop 3 h later and had rolled and smoked two cigarettes, was hospitalized with severe chemical pneumonitis. A chest X-ray (CXR) showed bilateral infiltrative impairment in the lower lobe regions. On the next day a second CXR showed increased patchiness marking in all fields. A high-resolution Computer Tomography (CT)-scan demonstrated extensive bilateral areas of ground-glass opacities predominantly in the lower regions of the upper lobes, the right middle lobe and the apical regions of the lower lobes, compatible with severe chemical pneumonitis. On the following morning, nine workers in an adjacent workplace in the same building, experienced dry cough, chest tightness and substernal pain upon physical exercise. Reconstruction of the spray application in a climate chamber confirmed trimethyl silanol, glycol ethers and fluoroalkenes in the gas phase. Immediately after the spray application, aerosols were observed at a maximum concentration of 6.3 × 104 cm−3. Mass concentrations were 0.095 and 10 mg/m3 in the size ranges 5.6-560 nm and 0.22-30 μm, respectively, decreasing to less than 10 μg/m3 in both size ranges after 15 h.ConclusionThe hospitalized worker had smoked cigarettes contaminated with fluoropolymers which is a plausible explanation for the lung trauma. Respiratory symptoms in the nine workers may be caused by inhalation of particles that became airborne by resuspension from surfaces when workers entered the adjacent workplace the next day. A contribution from VOC appears less likely because measurements and modelling showed that concentrations in the mg/m3 range could have occurred only if the building was assumed to be completely airtight.

Highlights

  • In most reported cases of lung trauma with water proofing products, volatile organic compounds (VOC) have a prominent role

  • Respiratory symptoms in the nine workers may be caused by inhalation of particles that became airborne by resuspension from surfaces when workers entered the adjacent workplace the day

  • A contribution from VOC appears less likely because measurements and modelling showed that concentrations in the mg/m3 range could have occurred only if the building was assumed to be completely airtight

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Summary

Introduction

In most reported cases of lung trauma with water proofing products, volatile organic compounds (VOC) have a prominent role. We report on a case involving ten workers exposed to a sprayed product containing nanoparticles in a water solution with only a few percent VOC. The worker who applied one liter of the product in a wood workshop, using an air mix spray gun, did not report any health complaints. Another worker, who entered the workshop 3 h later and had rolled and smoked two cigarettes, was hospitalized with severe chemical pneumonitis. Waterproofing products are used to coat textile fabric, leather or solid surfaces to ensure water and dirt resistance These products usually contain three key components: a water repellent (active compound), a solvent and a propellant (if the product is canned). Propellants are usually C3-C4-alkanes or CO2 (Additional file 1: Figure S2)

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