Petroleum sulfonates, calcium salts (technical‐grade mixture in mineral oil)
MAK Value Documentation, addendum – Translation of the German version from 2018
Andrea Hartwig1 (Chair of the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)MAK Commission2
1 Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
2 Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Abstract
The German Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area has re‐evaluated the maximum concentration at the workplace (MAK value) and the Pregnancy Risk Group of petroleum sulfonates, calcium salts [61789‐86‐4].
Petroleum sulfonates, calcium salts are manufactured as solution in mineral oil. Critical effect is lung toxicity which is observed as macrophage accumulation and hyperplasia of the bronchioli in a 4‐week inhalation study with petroleum sulfonates, calcium salts in rats at a respirable aerosol concentration of 156 mg/m3 with a NOAEC of 49.5 mg/m3. These effects are similar to those with highly refined mineral oils observed in rats and dogs. A MAK value of 5 mg/m3 had been set for petroleum sulfonates, calcium salts as the respirable fraction (R), which corresponds to the MAK value of white mineral oil. This value is now reaffirmed even considering the increased respiratory volume at the workplace (see List of MAK and BAT Values, Sections I b and I c).
There is still no data on developmental toxicity with petroleum sulfonates, calcium salts. The classification in Pregnancy Risk Group D is therefore retained.
