1,4-Butanediol dimethacrylate

1,4-Butanediol dimethacrylate is a cross-linking methacrylate monomer used mostly in making plastic and in making glues. Industrial processes with risk of exposure are manufacturers of plastic composites. The composites industry is characterized by the use of expensive, high-performance resin systems and high-strength, high-stiffness fiber reinforcement. The aerospace industry, including military and commercial aircraft of all types, is the major customer for advanced composites. These materials have also been adopted for use by the sporting goods suppliers who sell high-performance equipment to the golf, tennis, fishing, and archery markets. This substance is also present in dental composites.

What is a monomer? It is a single molecule that has the ability to combine with identical or similar molecules, a process also known as polymerization.

Allergic contact dermatitis and asthma are the occupational diseases most likely to be encountered in this industry.

At work, you can request a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to help identify potential sources of exposure. You need to avoid touching plastics and glues while they are being manufactured. Interestingly, once the plastics and glues are made, you can touch them without problems. The technical language for this is as follows:

Avoidance of the monomer (unreacted chemical) is necessary to prevent recurrent allergic contact dermatitis. The full polymerized (reacted) monomer is no longer a sensitizer. There is often residual free monomer available, particularly with self-curing rather than heat-cured or ultraviolet light-cured preparations. Cross-sensitization occurs among acrylic monomers, which makes switching from one monomer to another often unsuccessful in avoiding allergic contact dermatitis. Rubber gloves do not prevent the penetration of acrylate monomers.

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