Airborne contact urticaria due to sodium benzoate in a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant.

Three workers exposed to airborne contact with sodium benzoate (SB) in a pharmaceutical plant developed transient urticaria related to skin contamination with SB. Patch test responses to SB and benzoic acid (BA), without occlusion, were similar to those of three previously unexposed controls in keeping with the nonimmunologic nature of the reaction. Sweating, which lowers skin pH and increases topical BA concentration, appeared to increase the susceptibility to urticaria in two of the three workers. Ventilation and hygiene control methods designed to reduce SB skin contamination eliminated the problem in the workplace.