Platinum salts

Super Categories

All Agents
- Low Molecular Weight Agents
  - Metals
    - Platinum salts

Subcategories

None

Known Synonyms

None

Authors

Tony Pickering, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK Tony Pickering

Jack Pepys, Royal Brompton Hospital Jack Pepys

Rolf Merget, Bochum Rolf Merget

The complex salts of platinum are one of the most potent respiratory sensitising agents having caused occupational asthma in more than 50% of exposed workers. Substitution of ammonium hexachlor platinate with platinum tetraamine dichloride in the manufacture of catalyst has controlled the problem in the catalst industry. Ammonium hexachlorplatinate exposure still occurs in the refining process.

Agent	Ammonium hexachlorplatinate
Other Names	Platinum salts, Platinum
Sources of Exposure	Refining of precious metals, catalyst production
Jobs	Refiner, chemist
Epidemiological Studies	Good evidence of occupational asthma from cross-sectional studies. Surveillance studies also available
Air Measurements	Very low occupational exposure standards
Specific IgE/ Skin prick test	Skin prick testing with concentrations as low as 10(-9) and up to 10(-3) are sensitive and specific using ammonium hexachlorplatinate. It vitro specific IgE not generally successful
Biological Monitoring	No data
Specific Challenge	Challenge methods and protocols described, mostly as a particulate diluted in lactose. Common concentrations 40mg in 1 kg lactose
Early References	First good account in 1946 by Donald Hunter
Substitutes	Successful substitution with platinum trtraamine dichloride in catalst manufacture

	See published papers on "Platinum salts" from this website.

	See information on "Platinum salts" from the HazMap (Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases) website.
	See information on "Platinum salts" from the AsmaPro website (database of occupational asthma cases).

Oasys Notifications for Platinum salts

The Oasys Audit scheme started midway through 2010 and collects agents typed in through the Oasys program. The years before 2010 show old data entered during 2010 or later and are likely to have many fewer notifications. We expect Oasys to become more widely adopted as time goes by so increasing notifications does not necessarily mean an increasing problem.

Occupational asthma notifications to the Oasys Audit Scheme for Platinum salts

Selected References for Platinum salts

	Linnett PJ, Concerns for asthma at pre-placement assessment and health surveillance in platinum refining-a personal approach , Occup Med, 2005;55:595-599,

	Linnett PJ, Hughes EG, 20 years of medical surveillance on exposure to allergenic and non-allergenic platinum compounds: the importance of chemical speciation, Occup Environ Med, 1999;56:191-196,

	Merget R, Schulte A, Gebler A, Breitstadt R, Kulzer R, Berndt ED, Baur, X, SchultzeWerninghaus G, Outcome of occupational asthma due to platinum salts after transferral to low-esposure areas, Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 1999;72:33-39,

	Calverley AE, Rees D, Dowdeswell RJ et al, Platinum salt sensitivity in refinery workers: incidence and effects of smoking and exposure, Occup Environ Med, 1995;52:661-666,

	Pepys J, Pickering CAC, Hughes EG, Asthma due to inhaled chemical agents- complex salts of platinum, Clin Allergy, 1972;2:391-396,

	Hunter D, Milton R, Perry KMA, Asthma caused by the complex salts of platinum, Brit J Industr Med, 1945;2:92-98,

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