Castor oil, dehydrated

Endpoint summary

Description of key information

Not irritating to skin or eyes. No significant respiratory exposure expected since the substance is non-volatile and has a low vapour pressure.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Skin irritation / corrosion

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Eye irritation

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Respiratory irritation

Endpoint conclusion

Endpoint conclusion:

no study available

Additional information

Data is available for substances representative of the constituents of castor oil, dehydrated.

Skin irritation

As summarised in CIR (2007), castor oil was tested for skin irritation by numerous authors. Undiluted castor oil was irritating to rabbit skin in one study (Motoyoshi et al., 1979), slightly or not irritating irritating in others (Rantuccio et al., 1981; Guillot et al., 1979), mildly irritating to guinea-pig and rat skin (Motoyoshi et al., 1979; Butcher, 1950) but not irritating to miniature swine skin (Motoyoshi et al., 1979).

Other glycerides with varying fatty acid chain lengths such as palm oil (C16-18 and C18-unsatd.), fully hydrogenated cottonseed oil (C16-18), as well as coconut, fully hydrogenated coconut and palm kernel oil (C8-18 and C18-unsatd.) were all not to mildly irritating in occlusive or semi-occlusive testing in rabbit (CIR, 2000; CIR, 2001; CIR, 1986; IUCLID, 2000b).

Adducts formed by glycerides similar to those tested above are not expected to have higher skin irritation potential than the individual glycerides. Their presence in castor oil, dehydrated will therefore not contribute significantly to the skin irritation effects.

Overall, the weight of evidence suggests that castor oil, dehydrated is not irritating skin.

Eye irritation

The eye irritation potential of undiluted castor oil was tested in rabbit eye by three different authors (Carpenter and Smyth, 1946; Guillot et al., 1979; Behrens-Baumann et al.,1986). The results indicated that the substance was not to slightly irritating.

Palm oil (C16-18 and C18-unsatd.), fully hydrogenated cottonseed oil (C16-18), as well as coconut and fully hydrogenated coconut oil (C8-18 and C18-unsatd.) were all mildly to minimally irritating to rabbit eye in standard testing (CIR, 2000, CIR, 2001; CIR, 1986).

Adducts formed by glycerides similar to those tested above are not expected to have higher eye irritation potential than the individual glycerides. Their presence in castor oil, dehydrated will therefore not contribute significantly to the eye irritation effects.

Overall, the weight of evidence suggests that castor oil, dehydrated is not irritating the eyes.

Respiratory irritation

The subtance is non-volatile liquid with a low vapour pressure (7.43 × 10^-5 Pa at 20°C). In conditions where aerosol or droplets may be formed (e.g. spray applications), appropriate respiratory protection is recommended as a risk management measure.

Justification for selection of skin irritation / corrosion endpoint:
No one study was selected since the overall weight of evidence demostrates that the substance is not irritating to the skin.

Justification for selection of eye irritation endpoint:
No one study was selected since the overall weight of evidence demostrates that the substance is not irritating to the eyes.

Justification for classification or non-classification

Eye and skin irritation studies were conducted with fats and glyceridic oils in the form of castor oil and rincinoleic acid. Overall, the substance is assessed to be not irritating to skin and eyes.

Exposure via the inhalation route and consequent respiratory irritation is not expected given the physical-chemical properties (non volatile liquid and low vapour pressure (7.43 × 10^-5Pa at 20°C))

of the substance.

Based on the above information, the substance does not require to be classified for irritation properties according to Directive 67/548/EC or Regulation 1272/2008/EC.