TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of the molecular weight of polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) used as a household humidifier disinfectant
AU - Park, Dong Uk
AU - Yang, Kee Won
AU - Kim, Jiwon
AU - Park, Ju Hyun
AU - Lee, So Yeon
AU - Zoh, Kyung Ehi
AU - Kwon, Jung Hwan
AU - Park, Soyoung
AU - Oh, Han Bin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/8/1
Y1 - 2021/8/1
N2 - (1) Background: Household humidifier disinfectant (HD) brands containing polyhexam-ethylene guanidine (PHMG) have been found to cause the most HD-associated lung injuries (HDLIs) in the Republic of Korea. Nevertheless, no study has attempted to characterize the potential association of the health effects, including HDLI, with the physicochemical properties of PHMG dissolved in different HD brands. This study aimed to characterize the molecular weight (MW) distribution, the number-average molecular weight (Mn), the weight-average molecular weight (Mw), and the structural types of PHMG used in HD products. (2) Methods: Quantitative measurements were made using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The Mn, Mw, and MW distributions were compared among various HD products. (3) Re-sults: The mean Mn and Mw were 542.4 g/mol (range: 403.0–692.2 g/mol) and 560.7 g/mol (range: 424.0–714.70 g/mol), respectively. The degree of PHMG oligomerization ranged from 3 to 7. The MW distribution of PHMG indicated oligomeric compounds regardless of the HD brands. (4) Conclusions: Based on the molecular weight distribution, the average molecular weight of PHMG, and the degree of polymerization, the PHMG collected from HDLI victims could be regarded as an oligomer. PHMG, as used in household humidifiers, should not be exempted from toxic chemical registration as a polymer. Further study is necessary to examine the association of PHMG oligomeric compounds and respiratory health effects, including HDLI.
AB - (1) Background: Household humidifier disinfectant (HD) brands containing polyhexam-ethylene guanidine (PHMG) have been found to cause the most HD-associated lung injuries (HDLIs) in the Republic of Korea. Nevertheless, no study has attempted to characterize the potential association of the health effects, including HDLI, with the physicochemical properties of PHMG dissolved in different HD brands. This study aimed to characterize the molecular weight (MW) distribution, the number-average molecular weight (Mn), the weight-average molecular weight (Mw), and the structural types of PHMG used in HD products. (2) Methods: Quantitative measurements were made using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The Mn, Mw, and MW distributions were compared among various HD products. (3) Re-sults: The mean Mn and Mw were 542.4 g/mol (range: 403.0–692.2 g/mol) and 560.7 g/mol (range: 424.0–714.70 g/mol), respectively. The degree of PHMG oligomerization ranged from 3 to 7. The MW distribution of PHMG indicated oligomeric compounds regardless of the HD brands. (4) Conclusions: Based on the molecular weight distribution, the average molecular weight of PHMG, and the degree of polymerization, the PHMG collected from HDLI victims could be regarded as an oligomer. PHMG, as used in household humidifiers, should not be exempted from toxic chemical registration as a polymer. Further study is necessary to examine the association of PHMG oligomeric compounds and respiratory health effects, including HDLI.
KW - Humidifier-disinfectant-associated lung injury (HDLI)
KW - Molecular mass
KW - Number-average molecular weight (M)
KW - Oligomer
KW - Polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG)
KW - Polymerization
KW - Weight-average molecular weight (M)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111699038&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/molecules26154490
DO - 10.3390/molecules26154490
M3 - Article
C2 - 34361643
AN - SCOPUS:85111699038
SN - 1420-3049
VL - 26
JO - Molecules
JF - Molecules
IS - 15
M1 - 4490
ER -
