ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.

Sec. Predictive Toxicology

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1514565

This article is part of the Research TopicToxicity Mechanisms, Exposure, Toxicokinetic and Risk Assessment Aspects of Metals, Toxic for Animals and Humans, Volume IIIView all 10 articles

An occupational pipe leak poisoning

Provisionally accepted
Xiangxing ZhangXiangxing Zhang1,2Tianzi JianTianzi Jian3Mengdi ShiMengdi Shi2,4Chen WangChen Wang2,4Xiangdong JianXiangdong Jian2Qilu LiQilu Li5*
  • 1Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Shandong University, Jinan, China
  • 2Department of Poisoning and Occupational Diseases, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
  • 3Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
  • 4Shandong University, Jinan, China
  • 5The Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China

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Dimethylacetamide (DMAC) is used as a solvent in the dye, leather, and acrylic manufacturing industries. However, it is associated with significant risks of liver and nerve damage. 4,4'-Diaminodiphenyl ether (4,4'-ODA) is a crucial precursor for synthesizing curing agents and dyes but can disrupt the methemoglobin reduction system, resulting in methemoglobinemia. This paper reports an incident involving a plant pipeline leak on May 10, 2024, which primarily contained a DMAC solution and trace amounts of 4,4'-ODA. Two patients exhibited clinical symptoms, including respiratory failure, methemoglobinemia, hemolytic anemia, and acute liver injury due to dermal and respiratory exposure. They were successfully treated and discharged. Notably, Patient 1 was diagnosed with toxic encephalopathy 16 days post-exposure, while Patient 2 developed peripheral neuropathy 58 days post-exposure. Their clinical courses were prolonged and complex.

Keywords: Dimethylacetamide, 4, 4'-diaminodiphenyl ether, peripheral neuropathy, Toxic encephalopathy, Methemoglobinemia, Toxic liver damage

Received: 21 Oct 2024; Accepted: 13 Jun 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Jian, Shi, Wang, Jian and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Qilu Li, The Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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