title: A GHS-consistent approach to health hazard classification of petroleum substances, a class of UVCB substances.
abstract: The process streams refined from petroleum crude oil for use in petroleum products are among those designated by USEPA as UVCB substances (unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products and biological materials). They are identified on global chemical inventories with unique Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) numbers and names. The chemical complexity of most petroleum substances presents challenges when evaluating their hazards and can result in differing evaluations due to the varying level of hazardous constituents and differences in national chemical control regulations. Global efforts to harmonize the identification of chemical hazards are aimed at promoting the use of consistent hazard evaluation criteria. This paper discusses a systematic approach for the health hazard evaluation of petroleum substances using chemical categories and the United Nations (UN) Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labeling. Also described are historical efforts to characterize the hazard of these substances and how they led to the development of categories, the identification of potentially hazardous constituents which should be considered, and a summary of the toxicology of the major petroleum product groups. The use of these categories can increase the utility of existing data, provide better informed hazard evaluations, and reduce the amount of animal testing required.
authors.affiliation: Phillips 66, 420 S. Keeler Avenue, Room 1758-04, Bartlesville, OK 74006, USA. Electronic address: okietox@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Swick
authors.forename: Suneeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahagaokar
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pigram
authors.forename: Linda G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Chantal J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Smulders
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Beatty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005062:European Union; D033161:Government Regulation; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification* / Q000633:toxicity; D010578:Petroleum / Q000145:classification* / Q000633:toxicity; D011356:Product Labeling / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances; D010578:Petroleum
keywords: Category hazard classification; GHS harmonization issues; Globally Harmonized System (GHS); Hazardous constituents; Petroleum substance categories; Petroleum substances; Representative substances; UVCB substances