Contact dermatitis from polyfunctional acrylic monomers

Five out of 26 men employed formulating radiation drying printing ink developed eczematous dermatitis. Positive patch tests were obtained with two polyfunctional acrylic monomers, pentaerythritol triacrylate and trimethylol propane triacrylate and with formulations containing these in four affected employees. Cross sensitization was observed to dipentaerythritol monohydroxy pentaacrylate in each case. A fifth employee appeared to have developed irritant dermatitis from contact with these materials.