Chemistry:Platinosis

Platinosis is an allergy-like reaction to exposure to soluble salts of platinum.

The symptoms of platinosis may include asthma, dermatitis, dyspnea, conjunctival vasodilatation, and rhinopharyngitis.

The symptoms are progressive, sometimes taking months to years to appear. Platinosis is usually associated with workers in industries related to platinum production. The effects are permanent.

Halogeno-platinum compounds are among the most potent respiratory and skin sensitisers known, therefore it is vital that exposure via the skin and by breathing contaminated air is carefully controlled.

In practice, the compounds mainly responsible for platinum sensitisation are typically the soluble, ionic, platinum-chloro compounds such as ammonium hexachloroplatinate and tetrachloroplatinate, and hexachloroplatinic acid. Other ionic halogeno compounds are also sensitisers, the order of allergenicity being Cl > Br > I.

Neutral compounds such as cis-platin and ammine and nitro complexes such as [Pt(NH₃)₄]Cl₂, K₂[Pt(NO₂)₄] and platinum nitrate are not considered to be allergenic; neither is the metal.

See also

Heavy metal poisoning

References

• Parrot, Jl; Hébert, R; Saindelle, A; Ruff, F (Nov 1969). "Platinum and platinosis. Allergy and histamine release due to some platinum salts". Archives of Environmental Health 19 (5): 685–91. doi:10.1080/00039896.1969.10666910. PMID 4187030. 
• Saindelle, A; Ruff, F; Hébert, R; Parrot, Jl (Oct 1968). "A new histamine liberator: chloroplatinate. An occupational allergy: platinosis" (in fr). Revue Française d'Allergologie 8 (4): 205–14. doi:10.1016/S0370-4688(68)80018-3. PMID 4180839. 
• Parrot, Jl; Saindelle, A; Ruff, F (Dec 1967). "Platinum and platinosis. Histamine release by some platinum salts and platinum allergy" (in fr). La Presse Médicale 75 (55): 2817–20. PMID 4171373. 
• Parrot, Jl; Saindelle, A; Tazi, T (Jun 1963). "Histamine Liberation by Platinum Salts and the Mechanism of Platinosis" (in fr). Bulletin de l'Académie Nationale de Médecine 147: 458–62. PMID 14054203. 
• Roberts, Ae (Dec 1951). "Platinosis; a five-year study of the effects of soluble platinum salts on employees in a platinum laboratory and refinery". AMA Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Medicine 4 (6): 549–59. PMID 14877314.