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NIOSH

SKIN EXPOSURES & EFFECTS

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Ongoing Skin Research

NIOSH has many research projects related to skin and skin exposures, including those in the following areas:

NORA Dermal Exposure Research Program (DERP)

Estimates indicate that more than 13 million workers in the United States are potentially exposed to chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin. A worker's skin may be exposed to hazardous chemicals through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, deposition of aerosols, immersion, or splashes. When substantial amounts of chemicals are absorbed, systemic toxicity can result. Contact dermatitis can also result when chemicals are absorbed through a worker's skin. Contact dermatitis is one of the most common chemically induced occupational illness, accounting for 10-15 percent of all occupational illnesses at an estimated annual cost of at least $1 billion.

The NORA Dermal Exposure Research Program (DERP) was started in response to this situation. The overall goal of the program is to promote the development of improved NIOSH policies and recommendations for identifying and controlling harmful exposures of the skin to chemicals. This goal will be accomplished by (1) adding critical information to our current knowledge base through laboratory and field investigations and (2) developing and applying scientific decision-making processes for policy development using that knowledge base.

Field-Based Studies of Hazards, Health, Risk and Controls

A number of NIOSH research groups have conducted field studies and compiled statistics characterizing dermal exposures, determining health effects, characterizing risks or evaluating exposure controls. Others have worked on improving the tools available for conducting such studies.

Bibliography of Recent NIOSH Peer-Reviewed Publications from Field Based Studies of Hazards, Health, Risk and Controls

Evaluation of Self-Reported Skin Problems Among Workers Exposed to Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI) at a Foam Manufacturing Facility
J Occup Environ Med (2002, vol. 44, pp. 1197-1202) - Results suggest that the skin symptoms among study participants represent an irritant rather than an immunologic reaction to TDI or arise from an unidentified allergen present in the foam.

 

Methodological Studies for Improved Chemical Analyses and Risk Analyses

A number of NIOSH research groups have conducted laboratory studies to improve the analysis of various types of samples and to improve tools for estimating risk.

Bibliography of Recent NIOSH Peer-Reviewed Publications from Methodological Studies for Improved Chemical Analyses and Risk Analyses

In vivo sensitization to purified Hevea brasiliensis
proteins in health care workers sensitized to natural rubber latex
J Allergy Clin Immunol (2003, vol. 111, pp. 610-616) - Identifies four latex proteins as major in vivo allergens in health care workers. Current FDA-approved serum tests do not correctly detect sensitization in many workers.

Steady-State Flux and Lag Time in the Stratum Corneum Lipid Pathway: Results from Finite Element Models
J Pharm Sci (2003, vol. 92, pp. 2196-2207) - Simple mathematical equations can be used to predict the transport properties of the stratum corneum lipid pathway. These properties depend on the geometrical arrangement of the corneocytes.

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