Pre-treatment effects of trichloroethylene on the dermal absorption of the biocide, triazine

Triazine is often added to cutting-fluid formulations in the metal-machining industry as a preservative. Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a solvent used for cleaning the cutting fluid or oil from the metal product. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of TCE on the dermal absorption of triazine in an in vitro flow-through diffusion cell system. Skin sections were dosed topically with aqueous mixtures containing mineral oil or polyethylene glycol (PEG) spiked with 14 C-triazine. Some skin sections were simultaneously exposed to TCE while other skin sections were pre-treated with TCE daily for 4 days in vivo and then exposed to these mixtures in vitro. TCE pre-treatment almost doubled triazine permeability, but this pre-treatment had no effect on triazine diffusivity. The pre-treatment effects of TCE on triazine permeability appear to be more important in PEG-based mixtures than in the mineral oil-based mixtures. Simultaneous single exposure to TCE had little or no effect on triazine absorption. TCE absorption was significantly less than triazine absorption; however, cutting fluid additives had a more significant effect on TCE absorption than on triazine absorption. In summary, this study demonstrated that TCE pre-treatment can significantly alter the dermal permeability to triazine, and workers who are chronically exposed to this or similar cleansers may be at increased risk of absorbing related skin irritants.