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Review
. 2023 Jun:141:105387.
doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105387. Epub 2023 May 9.

Recommendation for an occupational exposure limit for toluene

Martijn Rooseboom  1 , Neslihan Aygun Kocabas  2 , Colin North  3 , Richard James Radcliffe  4 , Lawrence Segal  5
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Recommendation for an occupational exposure limit for toluene

Martijn Rooseboom et al. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2023 Jun.
Free article

Abstract

The Lower Olefins and Aromatics (LOA) REACH Consortium, which includes toluene registrants in the EU, established a Working Group (WG) to conduct a review of the occupational exposure limit (OEL) for toluene. The review focussed on CNS and neuro-behavioural toxicity, ototoxicity, effects on colour vision, reproductive and developmental effects, as safety signals for these effects were identified. The WG also examined the need for a skin notation and/or a short-term exposure limit (STEL). The WG critically reviewed and discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the available published information describing the effects of toluene in animals and humans, to assess its adequacy as a potential point of departure for the establishment of an OEL for toluene and to derive an OEL. As a result, the WG recommendation for a toluene OEL is 20 ppm 8-h TWA, with a 15-min STEL of 100 ppm and a skin notation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Martijn Rooseboom is employed by Shell including stock ownership but was totally free to design and conduct the research and express his own scientific opinion without any obligation to either Shell or CEFIC. He is a member of the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Safety (DECOS) of the Health Council of the Netherlands. Colin M. North is an employee of BASF Corporation and owns shares of publicly traded companies involved in the manufacture, use, or sale of toluene. Neslihan Aygun Kocabas is an employee of TotalEnergies and owns shares of a publicly traded company involved in the manufacture, use, or sale of toluene. Richard James Radcliffe is an employee of Penman Consulting Ltd (Wantage UK), who manage and provide scientific support to the Lower Olefins and Aromatics (LOA) REACH Consortium, which includes toluene registrants in the EU. Lawrence Segal is a freelance contractor to Penman Consulting BVBA (Brussels Belgium), who manage and provide scientific support to the Lower Olefins and Aromatics (LOA) REACH Consortium, which includes toluene registrants in the EU. He is a member of the Workplace Environmental Exposure Level (WEEL) Committee.