The hazards of isocyanate in the workplace have been well documented. Workers who are involved in the production of polyurethane forms, elastomers and fibers as well as in the application of polyurethane paints and coatings are all exposed to diisocyanate and polyisocyanates. The vapor can irritate the nose, throat and lungs, and eventually lead to pulmonary dysfunction and bronchial pneumonia. Chronic exposure can lead to sensitization in 2-5% of the population. Isocyanate aerosol can irritate the eyes, and contact with the skin can cause severe blistering and swelling. The primary goal of this research is to develop a convenient, accurate, and sensitive sampling and analysis procedure for hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) monomer and polyisocyanates in the spray-painting environment. This goal will be achieved through a three-pronged research effort: (1) New samplers will be developed from composite membranes, which feature a porous bed attached to a thin skin. (2) An improved derivatizing reagent, 1-(methyl-anthracenyl) piperazine (MAP), which has a sensitivity thirty times greater than tryptamine and a more uniform response toward all isocyanates (plus/minus 5% standard deviation) will be evaluated in field studies. (3) Anew analytical method, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), will be compared with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in order to assess whether CZE offers distinct advantages in sample size requirements, and analyze resolution capability.
