Phenol, sulfonated

Exposure related observations in humans: other data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

exposure-related observations in humans: other data

Type of information:

other: ead-across based on grouping of substances (category approach)

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

2008

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Health record from industrial manufacturing exposure; including manufacturing plant book of injuries and a physician report

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

other: manufacturing plant book of injuries and a physican report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

2008

Materials and methods

Type of study / information:

Manufacturing plant book of injuries and a physician report of workers in manufacturing plant being exposed to substance in eyes and on skin.

Endpoint addressed:

eye irritation

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Toluene-4-sulphonic acid

EC Number:

203-180-0

EC Name:

Toluene-4-sulphonic acid

Cas Number:

104-15-4

IUPAC Name:

4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid

Details on test material:

toluene-4-sulphonic acid 65% aqueous solution with < 5% free sulphuric acid

Results and discussion

Results:

Exposures with contact of toluene-4-sulphonic acid (65%, < 5% free sulphuric acid) with eyes within the company are recorded in the book of injuries ( 5 cases). Cases of contact of the acid with skin or mouth are not recorded in the book, because medical help has never had to be sought and the employees were, after rinsing the affected area, always able to continue performing their work. In most cases of staining, first aid - in the form of rinsing the affected area with water and soap or rinsing the eyes - was provided within 30 seconds, and then, if necessary, protective clothing was taken off and skin of the whole body washed with water and soap within 3-5 minutes.
Skin in affected areas was irritated and redened, but with no deeper injury. In cases of contact with skin and mouth, medical help did not have to be sought.
In the cases of contact of the acid with eye, some of the affected employees visited a doctor with persistent pain and swollen eye. The eye was swollen for 2 - 3 days, the pain receded and the eye was back to normal within 5 - 9 days, it depended, how strong was the contact with the acid. There is one accompanying report from an eye doctor from the last case in 2008.

Any other information on results incl. tables

From the eye doctor's report (attached) of an eye exposure at the manufacturing plant -

16 Oct 2008       acid under pressure in the eye

17 Oct            erosion (defect) on right cornea (separated epithelium), erosio corneae el dx

20 Oct            defect practically healed

22 Oct            endothelium and epithelium with cells, still healing

24 Oct            all healed

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

Toluene-4-sulphonic acid (as handled in manufacturing plants; i.e., a 65% aqueous solution with < 5% free sulphuric acid) is an irritant of the eye and skin. Standard first aid response to exposure, including immediately washing the skin and rinsing the eyes resulted in the affected area returning to normal within a week.