title: Distribution of eye irritation scores of industrial chemicals.
abstract: Eye irritation results obtained in tests on agricultural and industrial chemicals (raw materials, intermediates, formulation components and sales products) were classified on the basis of an arbitrary breakdown of the scores (which ranged from 0 (no irritation) to a maximum of 110) into six categories. This showed that of the materials (about 600) tested over a 2-year period, 18-31% caused no irritation at all, 42-51% caused minimal irritation (scores of 0.1-10.9), 9-17% were classed as slightly irritant (11.0-25.9) and 8-12% as moderately irritant (26.0-55.9), while 2-6 and 1-5% came into the categories of strong and extreme irritants, respectively (with scores of 56.0-84.0 and 84.1-110). Testing of the last two groups involves the test animals in discomfort, but because of the seriousness of eye damage to man this cannot always be avoided.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects*; D007221:Industry; D007509:Irritants / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D007509:Irritants