DIPHOTERINE® solution – emergency washing solution for chemical injuries

DIPHOTERINE® solution is an emergency rinsing solution for splashes of chemical products. Its rapid use in case of contact between the skin or eye and a chemical product is intended to quickly eliminate the residual chemical product on the skin or in the eye. This makes it possible to limit the extent of the burns and lesions caused. DIPHOTERINE® facilitates secondary treatment of the burn injuries by restricting the extent and severity of the lesions.

The knowledge acquired during our research work on the mechanisms of the lesions caused by chemical products on soft tissues have allowed us to develop this technological solution for emergency rinsing of chemical splashes.

Prevention and implementation of first-aid solutions are essential in all situations involving a risk of human skin or eye contact with a chemical product. In case of an incident, DIPHOTERINE® solution allows performance of emergency decontamination.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has listed more than 75,000 products that are corrosive, irritant or sensitising for the skin, eye or the respiratory tracts. These products are liable to cause serious lesions that may be limited by first-aid use of DIPHOTERINE® solution.

Historically, emergency rinsing with water represented an initial element of crucial progress in decontaminating chemical splashes. Use of water as a first-aid solution has its limits however. Owing to its physical and chemical properties, DIPHOTERINE® solution allows rinsing to be performed more effectively than with water in case of splashing of chemical product.

Prevor products do not contain any phosphates.

The presence of phosphates in a solution prevents its use on certain products (e.g. lime, cement, etc…). Certain studies have shown that side effects due to phosphates can occur in some cases. Prevor in its desire for universality has always worked without phosphates.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is an emergency rinsing solution for splashes of chemical products. It is intended for first-aid use on the human body. Its rapid use in case of splashing or contact of the skin or eye with a chemical product makes it possible to limit the extent of the burns and lesions caused.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is a class IIa medical device according to Directive 93/42 EEC. It can be used on injured skin and acts on the chemical product in order to halt the reaction between the chemical product and the tissue and minimise the lesions caused.[1] DIPHOTERINE® solution can be used in complete safety.[2] DIPHOTERINE® solution is guaranteed free of phosphates. Its physical and chemical characteristics allow decontamination in case of splashing of chemical products on the skin or in the eye.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is not a treatment for confirmed chemical lesions. It is definitely an emergency rinsing solution for eye or skin splashes of chemical products.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is an emergency rinsing solution for splashes of chemical products. Its physical and chemical properties allow performance of rinsing if chemicals are splashed on humans.

Four characteristics provide its activity against splashes of chemical products.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is versatile

Its physical and chemical properties make it effective against a wide range of classes of chemical product (acids, alkalis, oxidising agents, reducing agents, alkylating or chelating agents and solvents).

DIPHOTERINE® solution is guaranteed free of phosphates.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is liquid: it therefore allows performance of effective mechanical rinsing of the chemical product on the surface of the skin or the eye.

When a splash occurs, the chemical product is deposited on the surface of the tissue. It does not penetrate instantly and completely into the skin or the eye. Some chemical product therefore remains on the surface. Mechanical elimination by rinsing using a liquid solution allows removal of the product from the surface of the tissue.

Consequently, it is no longer capable of reacting with the skin or the eye and of creating a burn. Mechanical rinsing is the major effect of emergency decontamination of splashes of chemical products using DIPHOTERINE® solution.

Irrigation of the contaminated area with a copious amount of liquid DIPHOTERINE® solution also allows dilution of the chemical product. A less concentrated chemical product will be less aggressive to the tissue. This additional physical effect is minor in relation to mechanical rinsing of the chemical product.

DIPHOTERINE® solution will limit penetration of the chemical product inside the tissue.

The chemical products quickly penetrate into the skin or the eye, creating deep-lying lesions.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is a hypertonic solution: it has an osmotic pressure greater than that of the skin and the eye. This makes it possible to limit penetration of the chemical product inside the tissues.

DIPHOTERINE® solution is able to halt the aggressiveness of the chemical product.

DIPHOTERINE® solution contains an amphoteric and chelating molecule. The chemically reactive sites of this molecule will be capable of reacting with the corrosive or irritant chemical products, thus preventing their reaction with the biological components of the tissues. Owing to this additional property, rinsing allows more rapid return to an acceptable physiological state.

[1] Cavallini, Annals of Burns and Fire disasters 2004, vol XVII-2, 84-87 et Cavallini, European Journal of Anaesthesiology 2004, 21, 389-392
[2] Hall, A. H.; Cavallini, M.; Mathieu, L.; Maibach, H. I. M. Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009, 28 (4), 149-156