Registration Dossier
Use of this information is subject to copyright laws and may require the permission of the owner of the information, as described in the ECHA Legal Notice.
EC number: 203-777-6 | CAS number: 110-54-3
- 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

Epidemiological data
Administrative data
- Endpoint:
- epidemiological data
- Type of information:
- experimental study
- Adequacy of study:
- key study
- Study period:
- 1986
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- other: This study is classified as reliable with restrictions because although a GLP statement and ethical approval was not available the study seemed to be well-conducted.
Data source
Reference
- Reference Type:
- publication
- Title:
- An outbreak of n-hexane-induced polyneuropathy among press proofing workers in Taipei
- Author:
- Wang, JD; Chang, YC; Kao, KP; et al.
- Year:
- 1 986
- Bibliographic source:
- American Journal of Industrial Medicine 10:111-118
Materials and methods
- Study type:
- cohort study (retrospective)
- Endpoint addressed:
- neurotoxicity
Test guideline
- Qualifier:
- no guideline available
- Principles of method if other than guideline:
- Wang et al. (1986) evaluated a group of 59 press proofing workers from 16 factories who were employed for at least 2 months. Two exposure measures using personal air samplers were taken in 14 of the 16 factories. Samples of the bulk cleaning solvents contained concentrations of n-hexane ranging from 10–65%. Referent neurological data were collected from 150 healthy individuals.
- GLP compliance:
- not specified
Test material
Reference
- Name:
- Unnamed
- Type:
- Constituent
- Details on test material:
- - Name of test material (as cited in study report): n-hexane
- Analytical purity: cleaning solvents were found to contain n-hexane at concentrations ranging from 10–65%
Method
- Type of population:
- occupational
- Ethical approval:
- not specified
- Details on study design:
- METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
- Type: other: Air samples, MCV levels and neurological data.
- Details:Two exposure measures using personal air samplers were taken in 14 of the 16 factories. MCVs and neurological exams were conducted.
STUDY PERIOD: not reported
SETTING: occupational exposure in factory
STUDY POPULATION
- Total population (Total no. of persons in cohort from which the subjects were drawn): not provided
- Selection criteria: Press proofing workers employed for at least 2 months
- Total number of subjects participating in study: 150
- Sex/age/race: not provided
- Smoker/nonsmoker: not reported
- Total number of subjects at end of study: 150 - Exposure assessment:
- measured
- Details on exposure:
- TYPE OF EXPOSURE: Occupational
TYPE OF EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT: personal air sampling
EXPOSURE LEVELS: Samples of the bulk cleaning solvents were found to contain n-hexane at concentrations ranging from 10–65%.
EXPOSURE PERIOD: not reported
POSTEXPOSURE PERIOD: atleast two years
Results and discussion
- Results:
- FINDINGS:
MCVs among workers exposed to n-hexane were consistently lower than among controls.
While no association was found with length of employment, statistically significant associations existed between frequency of polyneuropathy and abnormal MCV and n-hexane concentration in the cleaning solvents and between the frequency of polyneuropathy and n-hexane air concentrations.
INCIDENCE / CASES
- Incidence: The results of the neurological examination identified 15 workers with polyneuropathy and two asymptomatic workers with abnormal MCVs. All but one of these workers were employed in factories that used solvents with n-hexane concentrations in excess of 50%.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS:
Samples of the bulk cleaning solvents were found to contain n-hexane at concentrations ranging from 10–65%.
Among the workers with polyneuropathy, a high percentage worked in factories with n-hexane air concentrations greater than 100 ppm. However, a significant reduction in the MCV was found among workers exposed to air concentrations less than 25 ppm, a result that the authors considered to be related to the prolonged exposure due to overtime work.
Applicant's summary and conclusion
- Conclusions:
- The neurological examination identified 15 workers with polyneuropathy and two ashymptomatic workers with abnormal MCVs. All but one of the workers were employed in factories that used solvents with n-hexane concentrations in excess of 50%.
No association was found with length of employment, statistically significant associations existed between frequency of polyneuropathy and abnormal MCV and n-hexane concentration in the cleaning solvents and between the frequency of polyneuropathy and n-hexane air concentrations. However, a significant reduction in the MCV was found among workers exposed to air concentrations less than 25 ppm, a result that the authors considered to be related to the prolonged exposure due to overtime work. - Executive summary:
Study authors evaluated a group of 59 press proofing workers from 16 factories who were employed for at least 2 months. All but four of these workers had regular contact with solvents in the process of cleaning the rollers. Two exposure measures using personal air samplers were taken in 14 of the 16 factories. Referent neurological data was also collected from workers and healthy individuals. MCVs were also collected from workers exposed to n-hexane.
Samples of the bulk cleaning solvents were found to contain n-hexane at concentrations ranging from 10–65%. Referent neurological data were collected from 150 healthy individuals (50 persons from three age groups, 10–35, 36–50, and 51–80 years, sex not stated). MCVs among workers exposed to n-hexane were consistently lower than among controls. The results of the neurological examination identified 15 workers with polyneuropathy and two asymptomatic workers with abnormal MCVs. All but one of these workers were employed in factories that used solvents with n-hexane concentrations in excess of 50%.
While no association was found with length of employment, statistically significant associations existed between frequency of polyneuropathy and abnormal MCV and n-hexane concentration in the cleaning solvents and between the frequency of polyneuropathy and n-hexane air concentrations. Among the workers with polyneuropathy, a high percentage worked in factories with n-hexane air concentrations greater than 100 ppm. However, a significant reduction in the MCV was found among workers exposed to air concentrations less than 25 ppm, a result that the authors considered to be related to the prolonged exposure due to overtime work.
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.
Reproduction or further distribution of this information may be subject to copyright protection. Use of the information without obtaining the permission from the owner(s) of the respective information might violate the rights of the owner.

Route: .live1