The Influence of Two Barrier Creams on the Percutaneous Absorption of m-Xylene in Man

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Abstract
Human volunteers were exposed to m-xylene by the percutaneous route (both hands immersed into the solvent for 20 min). The total amount of unchanged m-xylene eliminated through the respiratory tract during and after exposure and the total quantity of m-methylhippuric acid eliminated in urine during the subsequent 24 h were measured. The majority of absorbed m-xylene (86-98%) is eliminated as m-methylhippuric acid in urine. The results obtained on 8 subjects who repeated the test twice indicate that under similar experimental conditions the quantity of m-xylene absorbed percutaneously by an individual may vary with time by a factor of 2 or less. The interindividual variability in the total amount of m-xylene absorbed through the skin is greater than the intraindividual variability. Among 13 subjects the ratio between the highest and lowest values is 6.2; the mean percutaneous absorption rate of m-xylene amounts to 2.45 .mu.g/cm2 .times. min. The application of a barrier cream containing 10% Si did not significantly influence the rate of percutaneous absorption of m-xylene by 11 subjects. Preliminary results obtained on 5 volunteers suggest that the application of a cream containing glycerol, stearates and oleostearates was not more effective.

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