| dc.description.abstract | Johanson G & Rauma M. Basis for skin notation. Part 1. Dermal
penetration data for substances on the Swedish OEL list. Arbete och Hälsa
2008;42:2.
The aim of this report is to review the published data on dermal penetration
of workplace chemicals, as a basis for assignment of skin notations. Short
chapters describe the anatomy of the skin, the skin as a diffusion barrier,
Fick’s law of diffusion, factors affecting dermal penetration and methods to
assess dermal penetration.
The major part of the report is devoted to compilation of data assessment
of dermal penetration (fluxes and permeability coefficients) for 165
substances corresponding to 150 entries listed in the Swedish ordinance
(AFS 2005) on Occupational Expsoure Limits (OELs). The compilation
covers all 117 substances marked with an “H” in the ordinance and, in
addition, 50 substances that have not been given a skin notation. The
compiled data can be used in future revision of skin notations.
An analysis of the data shows that quantitative information on dermal
penetration is lacking for 53 or about one third of the 165 substances. For
those who have quantitative data, a variety of species and experimental
techniques have been used. There is a trillion-fold (1012) span in
permeability coefficients between the substances. Moreover, for many
chemicals with several experimental data sets on permeability, there is a
huge intra-chemical span, sometimes several orders of magnitude. In these
cases, a preferred study was selected, mainly based on the following criteria:
human skin, in vivo studies, neat liquid, water as vehicle and infinite or large
dose were preferred over animal skin, in vitro studies, vapor or diluted
liquid, other vehicles and low dose, respectively.
Notably, more than one third of the chemicals with high skin permeability
and with a dermal/inhalation ratio higher than 0.1 according to the ECETOC
criteria (1993) lacks a skin notation. This suggests a need for revision of all
substances, including those without a skin notation, in the Swedish list. | en |
