Analytical Sciences

2,4-Toluene Diamines-Their Carcinogenicity, Biodegradation, Analytical Techniques and an Approach towards Development of Biosensors

Kumaran SHANMUGAM,*  Sreenath SUBRAHMANYAM,* Subramanian V. TARAKAD,* Narendran KODANDAPANI,** and D'Souza F. STANLY***

*Department of Chemical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai 600 025, India
**Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
***Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India

2,4-Toluene diamine (TDA), a class A carcinogen, is a major raw material for the production of toluene diisocyanate (TDI), which is one of the precursors for the production of polyurethane foams (PU). This review deals with 2,4-toluene diamine's (TDA) carcinogenicity, analytical techniques, biodegradation and use as a biosensor for biogenic and synthetic amines, emphasizing various carcinogenicity studies by 2,4-TDA on animals and humans. This review reports some publications of the analysis of body fluid samples of workers from a PU producing factory for presence of TDA and TDI, since TDI gets absorbed into the worker's body, getting metabolized into TDA. Biodegradations of 2,4-TDA by various researchers are reported and also our own research experience with biodegradation of 2,4-TDA using Aspergillus nidulans isolated from soil site at a polyurethane foam dumping site have been discussed in this review. Biosensors for various biogenic and synthetic amines are discussed.

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