Immunological Studies on Platinum Complexes and Their Possible Relevance to Autocatalysts

Preliminary tests on extracts from exhaust solids support the hypothesis, deduced from tests on refinery workers and estimates of the types of Pt compounds likely to be formed, that no allergenic species are emitted.

A series of Pt complexes has been used for allergy tests on a number of refinery workers who are known to be sensitive to hexachloroplatinate [PtCl₆]^2- salts. The results show that the allergy-eliciting compounds appear to be confined to a very small group of ionic complexes containing reactive halogen ligands. Neutral complexes and those containing strongly bound groups are totally inactive. These variations are discussed in terms of established kinetic and thermodynamic parameters and their relevance to autocatalysts.