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EC number: 202-626-1 | CAS number: 98-00-0
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data
Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
Considering the available data, the acute oral LD50 in the rat lies in the range of 132-275 mg/kg. The acute dermal LD50 lies in the range of 400 to 657 mg/kg.
The inhalation LC50, derived from GLP studies, is > 1000 mg/m3 (1350, 1170 and 820 -2070 mg/m3).
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Additional information
Several reviews of acute toxicity data for furfuryl alcohol are available, which have been summarised by, for example, US NIOSH (1979); JECFA (2001) and INRS (2010).
Oral
For the rat, reported acute oral LD50 values range from 132 – 275 mg/kg (Woods & Seevers, 1954; Gajewski & Alsdorf, 1949). The only signs of toxicity observed in the rat were convulsions and respiratory paralysis proceeding death at lethal doses (INRS, 2010). Available data for the mouse do not conflict with these values (NIOSH, 1979; INRS, 2010).
Since furfuryl alcohol rapidly and extensively metabolises to furfural (see CSR Section 5.1), for systemic endpoints it is also relevant to consider the toxicity of furfural. This has recently been evaluated and reported in the EC Risk Assessment Report for furfural (2-furaldehyde) (EC RAR, 2008) with the acute oral LD50 concluded to be in essentially the same range and warranting classification under CLP (Category 3).
Inhalation
There are 3 GLP and guideline studies (Muijser, 2005; Walker, 2016a, b). These studies give LC50 values of 0.820 to 2.07, 1.35 and 1.17 mg/L, respectively. In the studies of Muijser and Walker 2016a exposure was to vapour alone. This was achieved by keeping the vapouriser in a heated water bath to increase the saturated vapour concentration and hence have a vapour only atmosphere containing no liquid aerosol. The heating of the substance prior to administration is a forced condition and does not necessarily reflect real conditions. Therefore, based on the physical properties ( low vapour pressure and high boiling point) in the second study by Walker (2016b) inhalation toxicity was assessed as an aerosol. The obtained LC50 in aerosol was 1.17 mg/L which is in the same range as the obtained LC50 value of 1.35 mg/L in vapour.
In all three studies decedents showed clinical signs consistent with respiratory irritation (decreased breathing rate, rales, gasping, encrustations around the nose) and at post mortem animals had discoloured (red or dark red) lungs. Surviving animals also showed clinical signs of respiratory irritation but these were less severe and typically there were no findings at necropsy (1 animal showed distention of the GI tract).
Other supporting studies report LC50 values of 0.95 mg/L (Jacobson et al, 1958) and 0.88 mg/L (Terrill et al, 1989).
Dermal
Limited data are available. After acute dermal exposure to furfuryl alcohol, the rabbit appears to be more susceptible than the rat. The LD50 has been reported to be in the range of 400 to 657 mg/kg (NIOSH, 2004; Woods & Seevers, 1954).
Justification for classification or non-classification
In accordance with Annex VI, classification under CLP should be at minimum Category 4 for oral and dermal exposure (H302 and H312) and Category 3 for inhalation exposure (H331).
For acute oral and dermal toxicity, based on the available LD50 data reviewed in this dossier, furfuryl alcohol warrants classification under Category 3 for acute exposure via the oral and dermal routes (as Toxic if swallowed H301, Toxic in contact with skin H311).
For inhalation LC50 values of 1.17 mg/L (aerosol) and 1.35 mg/L (vapour) were obtained. These concentrations are close to the Saturated Vapour Concentration (SVC) of 2.1 mg/L at 20C. The criteria for classification state "An LC50 well below the SVC will be considered for classification according to the criteria for vapours: whereas an LC50 close to or above the SVC will be considered for classification according to the criteria for mists (see also OECD GD 39)". Furfuryl alcohol must be classified according to the criteria for mists. Therefore furfuryl alcohol warrants classification under Category 4 for acute inhalation toxicity, H332 Harmful if inhaled.
However, in accordance with the minimum legal classification of Annex VI, classification should be at minimum Category 3 for inhalation exposure. Therefore, the applicable classification is Acute Inhalation Category 3, H331 Toxic if inhaled.
Information on Registered Substances comes from registration dossiers which have been assigned a registration number. The assignment of a registration number does however not guarantee that the information in the dossier is correct or that the dossier is compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the REACH Regulation). This information has not been reviewed or verified by the Agency or any other authority. The content is subject to change without prior notice.
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