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Administrative data

Description of key information

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Skin sensitisation

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no adverse effect observed (not sensitising)
Additional information:

Skin contact with rust, which can contain several kind of iron oxides, has been very common since time immemorial in everyday life of humans. However, skin sensitisation owing to dermal contact with rust has not been reported in literature as a recognized problem. Moreover, as iron oxides are practically insoluble in the aqueous layer of the skin, exposure to iron ions will be negligible, which means that skin sensitization by dissolved iron can be ruled out.

One publication was identified in the public domain investigating sensitisation effects of iron oxides. Guinea pigs were tested for skin with the three following iron oxides: Fe2O3 (iron oxide black), Fe2O3 iron oxide red and iron oxide yellow Fe2O3xH2O. The results were negative. All three iron oxides are not considered as dermal sensitizers based on this study.


Migrated from Short description of key information:
see discussion below

Justification for classification or non-classification

No classification required. Iron oxides did not exert any skin sensitising effects.