Temporary health effects from exposure to water-borne paints.

Temporary health effects of exposure to experimental paints were studied. Ten painters feeling nuisance from water-borne paints and eight painters not feeling such nuisance applied eight experimental water-borne paints according to normal work routines. The effects were a decrease in forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s and peak expiratory flow, an increase in urine excretion, and a decrease in urine density. A small, but statistically highly significant, increase in the mean volume of erythrocytes was observed. The effects were similar in the two groups, but the "nuisance group" reacted with a larger urine excretion and a larger increase in the mean volume of erythrocytes. The effects did not influence physical work capacity. The effects on the lungs and urinary excretion were probably not associated with the organic solvents or ammonia in the paints. Instead, they were probably due to derivatives of isothiazolinone. This assumption needs verification.