Skin injuries
Cyanoacrylate adhesives may adhere to body parts, and injuries may occur when parts of the skin are torn off.
[28][29] Without force, however, the glue will spontaneously separate from the skin in time (up to four days). Separation can be accelerated by applying
vegetable oil near, on, and around the glue. In the case of glued eyelids, a doctor should be consulted.
[30]
Toxicity
The fumes from cyanoacrylate are a vaporized form of the cyanoacrylate monomer that irritate the sensitive
mucous membranes of the
respiratory tract (i.e., eyes, nose, throat, and lungs). They are immediately polymerized by the moisture in the membranes and become
inert. These risks can be minimized by using cyanoacrylate in well-ventilated areas. About 5% of the population can become
sensitized to cyanoacrylate fumes after repeated exposure, resulting in
flu-like symptoms.
[31] Cyanoacrylate may also be a skin irritant, causing an
allergic skin reaction. The
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) assign a
threshold limit value exposure limit of 200
parts per billion. On rare occasions, inhalation may trigger
asthma. There is no singular measurement of toxicity for all cyanoacrylate adhesives because of the large number of adhesives that contain various cyanoacrylate formulations.
The United Kingdom's
Health and Safety Executive and the United States
National Toxicology Program have concluded that the use of ethyl cyanoacrylate is safe and that additional study is unnecessary.
[32] The compound 2-octyl cyanoacrylate degrades much more slowly due to its longer organic backbone (series of
covalently bonded carbon molecules) and the adhesive does not reach the threshold of tissue toxicity. Due to the toxicity issues of ethyl cyanoacrylate, the use of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate for sutures is preferred.
[33]
Reaction with cotton, wool, and other fibrous materials
Applying cyanoacrylate to some natural materials such as
cotton (
jeans,
cotton swabs,
cotton balls, and certain
yarns or fabrics), or
leather or
wool results in a powerful, rapid,
exothermic reaction. This reaction also occurs with
fiberglass and
carbon fiber. The heat released may cause serious burns
[34] or release irritating white smoke.
Material Safety Data Sheets for cyanoacrylate instruct users not to wear cotton (jeans) or wool clothing, especially cotton gloves, when applying or handling cyanoacrylates.
[35]
