Environmental pollutants

Due to their hapten effects, almost all chemical substances can cause a type IV allergy similar to metals or medications. The increasing importance of xenobiotics in our environment explains the growing number of immunological sensitisations.

• phthalates (plasticisers)
• wood preservatives
• fungicides
• herbicides
• insecticides
• solvents
• flame retardants

With these substances, in-vitro testing using the LTT should always be preferred to the epicutaneous test because:

• many of the mentioned substances have skin-irritating properties.
• it cannot be ruled out that epicutaneous testing itself can cause a sensitisation to the pollutant.
• a carcinogenic effect to the skin is possible
• in the interpretation of positive test reactions it cannot be distinguished between allergy- and irritation-triggered skin reactions.

With the LTT, a great number of pollutants can be tested in a standardized way. To make lab requests easier, the most important allergens have been compiled into profiles which are content-wise partially overlapping.

Tests are performed for nickel, mercury, latex, PCP, PCB, permethrin, formaldehyde, methyl methacrylate, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium chrysogenum, phthalic anhydride, dichlofluanid, PAK mix, 1,6-diisocyanatohexane

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