Severe illness in furniture makers using a new glue: 1-bromopropane toxicity confounded by arsenic

To describe the illnesses of four workers with high concentrations of serum bromide after exposure to glue containing 1-bromopropane (1-BP).

We reviewed all available clinical records, examined the workers, and obtained additional urinary arsenic values. We used standard autoanalyzer and other routine methods for blood and urinalysis.

All four workers had symptoms and abnormal physical findings when hospitalized, remaining symptomatic with abnormal examinations 3 months later. Milder symptoms persisted in two workers, 8 years after their initial illnesses. Both have returned to work. Follow-up was unavailable for the other two workers.

Severe illness occurred in four gluers after 1-BP exposures associated with elevated levels of serum bromide. All had elevated urinary arsenic concentrations, the source of which remains unknown, but which confound interpretation of the abnormal bromide levels and clinical findings present during the acute illnesses.