SKIN CHANGES IN WORKERS USING RADIOACTIVE LUMINESCENT PAINT

BS>Clinical examinations were made of 17 workers engaged in applying a luminescent paint to meter dials. The paint (Lumostabil) contained the BETA emitters Sr/sup 90/ and Y/sup 90/, and the operation was being carried out without sufficient precautions. Dermatitis of a subacute type was noted in 13 workers and the lesions differed from the acute and chronic dermatitis resulting from gamma emitters or x rays. The local changes included eponychia, telangiectasia, atrophy, and hyperhidrosis and in some cases subjective symptoms were also present. Most of the changes were reversible and disappeared after further exposure was avoided. It was considered that the skin lesions could be attributed mainly to BETA radiation from Sr/sup 90/ and Y/sup 90/, and to a minor extent only to alpha and gamma radiation from Ra/sup 236/ and its fission products. The paint contained 0.02 to 0.05 mg Ra/sup 226/ and 0.17 to 1.2 mC Sr/sup 90/ per g, Y/sup 90/ arising as a daughter product of Sr/sup 90/. It is believed that this is the first report of radiodermatitis occurring as a result of the use of luminescent paint. (H.H.D.)