Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia Due to Titanium Nanoparticles in Paint

• DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2011.07.062
• Publication Date: 2012-01-28T10:48:51Z
• Authors: Tong-Hong Cheng; Fu-Chang Ko; Junn-Liang Chang; Kuo-An Wu
• Keywords: Male; Titanium; Delayed Diagnosis; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; Polyesters; Comorbidity; Pneumonia; Middle Aged; Methylprednisolone; 3. Good health; Occupational Diseases; 03 medical and health sciences; Fatal Outcome; 0302 clinical medicine; Anti-Infective Agents; Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia; Sepsis; Paint; Humans; Nanoparticles; Particle Size; Powders; Lung

We present a case of a 58-year-old man who experienced Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia after a 3-month exposure to polyester powder paint. Mineralogical analysis by transmission electron microscopy of a pulmonary sample and the polyester powder paint he was exposed to showed the presence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in both. We suggest that exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles should be added to the etiology of Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia.