Proposal of limit concentrations for skin irritation within the context of a new EEC directive on the classification and labeling of preparations.
In this study, solvents belonging to different chemical families were tested for their irritating properties to the skin. The irritating potential of a chemical is expressed as its concentration in a nonirritant diluent beyond which irritation of the skin may be expected in the sense of EEC Directive 79/831/EEC. The substances were applied onto the shaved skin of rabbits by means of a modified Finn chamber for 4 hr. Afterward the exposure chamber was removed and the skin cleaned. Reading of erythema and edema was performed according to the scale of Draize at 1, 24, 48, and 72 hr after the removal of the patch. On the basis of the readings obtained the different dilutions of the organic solvents tested were classified as irritant or not according to the interpretation rules laid down in EEC Directive 83/467/EEC. On the basis of the structure-activity relationships found within each chemical family the irritation potential of the other members of the family could be derived via interpolation.
Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Brussels, Belgium.
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G
Jacobs
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Martens
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Mosselmans
D000438:Alcohols / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D004348:Drug Labeling; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D004890:Erythema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000633:toxicity; D005062:European Union; D005260:Female; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity; D007509:Irritants / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*
D000438:Alcohols; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D007509:Irritants; D012997:Solvents