Health hazards of tertiary amine catalysts.

Tertiary amine catalysts are widely employed in foundry and polyurethane foam manufacture operations. These highly reactive amines have been associated with graphic disturbances in vision and systemic health effects. Prominent among the reported effects on vision are mydriasis (dilated pupils), cycloplegia (loss of accommodation), and corneal edema, which may result in hazy (looking through smoke) or blurry (out of focus) vision and halo perception. Systemic symptoms, possibly due to a release of endogenous histamine, are consistent with pharmacologic actions of amines and have also been described. These symptoms, as well as the disturbances in vision, are transient. Nevertheless, employees who work with or around machinery, or drive vehicles, may be at an increased risk of accident and injury when experiencing these symptoms.