Skin Sensitization Among Maintainers/Fabricators: Use of New Approach Methods to Identify Chemical Sensitizers and Determine Preliminary Candidate Surface Limits
Abstract
Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is an immunologic reaction to a dermal chemical exposure that, once triggered in an individual, will result in an allergic response following subsequent encounters with the allergen. Air Force (AF) epidemiological consultations have indicated that AF aircraft structural maintenance workers may experience ACD at elevated rates compared to other occupations. This project aims to better characterize the potential link between ACD and chemical exposure during AF operations by 1) evaluating the sensitization potential of priority AF-relevant chemicals using new approach methodologies, and 2) developing preliminary candidate surface guidelines (PCSGs, i.e., guidelines for the maximum concentrations of chemicals on workplace surfaces to prevent induction of dermal sensitization) for chemicals that are identified as sensitizers. Surface guidelines for known sensitizers were derived from available local lymph node assay (LLNA) and quantitative experimental human results in previously published literature. New approach methods (NAMs) including in chemico and in vitro assays (k-DPRA and KeratinoSens trademark) and in silico models (Derek Nexus (registered) and OECD QSAR Toolbox) were leveraged into an integrated approach to predict sensitizer status for 15 chemicals with unknown sensitization potential and four chemicals (limonene, xylene, benzaldehyde, methylglyoxal) with existing LLNA data. LLNA effective concentration values (EC3) were predicted from NAM data via the method of Natsch and Gerberick (2022). The derived EC3 values were used to calculate PCSGs, which can be used to compare to the presence of these chemicals on work surfaces to better understand the risk of Airmen, and workers in general, from developing ACD from occupational exposures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1207810
Entities
People
- Allison Hilberer
- Andrew Keebaugh
- Argel Islas-robles
- David R. Mattie
- Elaine Merrill
- Hans Raabe
- Kayla Cantrell
- Megan Steele
- Rebecca Clewell
- Yaroslav Chushak
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
- Universal Energy Systems