Ask:
sulfa and methylene chloride
Hi:
I am a spray finisher for a display company. The pressure sensitive glue that I spray is 80% methylene chloride. I looked at a health questionaire that I was to have filled out from WISHA/OSHA which also asked the question as to whether or not I am allergic to sulfa drugs. I am very allergic to sulfa drugs. What is the connection? Are there extra safety issues I should be looking at? My own doctor isn't able to answer this question.
Thank you very much
Answer:
sulfa and methylene chloride
Welcome to the forum toocia,
Upon reading I don't find any connection between the two. But I'm not a Dr. It maybe that your employer may just want to know your allergies, in case you were on a drug containing sulfa which many antiobiotics have, and you had a reaction at work they would know if its work related or not, and to get you prompt medical care if needed.
link to wisha/ohsa:
Purple98Lady:smile:
Answer:
sulfa and methylene chloride
Thank you for your reply. However, this is not an employer question it is a WISHA/OSHA question which was to have been answered before ever spraying methylene chloride.
I have been to the OSHA website and couldn't find the answer there.
Is the connection in the chemical make-up? If I am allergic to sulfa then will I develop an allergic reaction to methylene chloride?
Thank you
Answer:
sulfa and methylene chloride
i see nomention of it.
Purple98Lady
Answer:
sulfa and methylene chloride
I really appreciate your checking for me. I also checked wikipedia.
The questionaire asks if I have heart disease. Methylene chloride turns to carbon monoxide in the blood cutting off oxygen to the brain and heart.
It also wants to know if I have any liver problems? Methylene chloride is very hard on the liver eventually changing into formaldehyde in the liver causing cancer of the liver.
Then it wants to know if I am allergic to sulfa drugs. It lists sulfa drugs specifically. I need to know why. I have a rash all over my exposed skin just like I did when I was given sulfa every time I spray this stuff.
Thank you very much for checking.
Answer:
sulfa and methylene chloride
I'm alittle lacking in being a pharmacist, or a chemist but I'll keep my eyes open. You may have to find another occupation, sounds kinda risky.
Good Luck
Purple98Lady
Answer:
sulfa and methylene chloride
Here's my guess, and its only a guess.
One connection between dichloromethane and sulfa drugs are that they are both oxidativly metabolism in the liver by the cytochrome p450 system. Sulfanilamines are oxidized through this process to a hydroxylamine which is further oxidized to a sulfamethoxazole which binds to cellular protiens and can illicit an immune response.
Dichloromethane is broken down by being oxidized by atomic chlorine, which is produced by collisions between dichloromethane and nitrogen, which forms a NOx group.
So in both cases you're producing an NOx group. In the same way sulfamethoxazole can bind to proteins and cause an immune response, perhaps the NOx group can a illicit a similar response? I'm not sure; that's the only thing I can think of. I'm not sure if it'll illicit an allergic response, but it may increase its toxicity for you because of the way it is broken down. CH2Cl2 is a known irritant, and exposure to the skin can cause it to dissolve some of the fatty acids in your skin and leaving it irritated. But if its causing a rash just like the rash you got with sulfa drugs, that's better information about its possible side effects than anything I could reason.
If it helps any, I have a mild sulfa allergy and we use dichloromethane all the time in lab as a solvent. I've never noticed any bad side effects, and I'm clumsier than most in terms of getting it spilled on my hands and such, but I definetly am not using it to the extent you would be in your job. One thing we do is we alway use it under a hood to reduce our exposure to vapors. I don't know if that's possible in your occupation, but a good ventilation system would be helpful.
Answer:
sulfa and methylene chloride
Ok, now it's making sense. Since no one could even guess this question was ignored even when sprayers answered yes. Thank you. A little extra
protection doesn't hurt anyone.
Marcia