What toxic substance is in nail polish remover, and what toxic substance is in nail remover (glue remover)? What toxicities can result from ingestion of each?
1.nail polish remover contains acetone. Acetone is also produced when alcohol dehydrogenase metabolizes isopropanolol. Acetone can cause ketosis without acidosis. 2. Nail remover (glue remover) contains acetonitrile. Acetonitrile is biotransformed by CYP2E1 to cyanide. A small amount can be lethal.
Khaja M, Latif A, Atogwe ID, Bhandari S, Balasubramanian P, Ronderos DM. Nail Polish Remover Induced Methemoglobinemia: An Uncommon Occurrence. Cureus. 2022 Dec 1;14(12):e32107. doi: 10.7759/cureus.32107. PMID: 36601139; PMCID: PMC9805361. Rainey PM, Roberts WL. Diagnosis and misdiagnosis of poisoning with the cyanide precursor acetonitrile: nail polish remover or nail glue remover? Am J Emerg Med. 1993 Mar;11(2):104-8. doi: 10.1016/0735-6757(93)90100-p. PMID: 8476448.
Contributed by: Daniel Laub, MD