Toxicological risks of selected flame-retardant chemicals / Subcommittee on Flame-Retardant Chemicals, Committee on Toxicology, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Subcommittee on Flame-Retardant Chemicals.

Series:

Compass series (Washington, D.C.)

Compass series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fireproofing agents--Toxicology.

Fireproofing agents.

Cumulative effects assessment (Environmental assessment).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (534 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Ignition of upholstered furniture by small open flames from matches, cigarette lighters, and candles is one of the leading causes of residential-fire deaths in the United States. These fires accounted for about 16% of civilian fire deaths in 1996. On average, each year since 1990, about 90 deaths (primarily of children), 440 injuries, and property losses amounting to 50 million dollars have resulted from fires caused by the ignition of upholstered furniture by small open flames. Certain commercial seating products (such as aircraft and bus seats) are subject to flammability standards and sometimes incorporate FR-treated upholstery cover materials, but there is no federal-government requirement for residential upholstered furniture, and it is generally not treated with FR chemicals. It is estimated that less than 0.2% of all U.S. residential upholstery fabric is treated with flame-retardant (FR) chemicals. The Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972 created the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as an independent federal regulatory agency whose mission is to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. CPSC also administers the Flammable Fabrics Act, under which it regulates flammability hazards and the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA), which regulates hazardous substances including chemicals. In 1993, the National Association of State Fire Marshals petitioned CPSC to issue a performance-based flammability standard for upholstered furniture to reduce the risk of residential fires. The Commission granted that portion of the petition relating to small open flame ignition risks. In response to concerns regarding the safety of FR chemicals, Congress, in the fiscal year 1999 appropriations report for CPSC, requested that the National Research Council conduct an independent study of the health risks to consumers posed by exposure to FR chemicals that are likely to be used in residential upholstered furniture to meet a CPSC standard. The National Research Council assigned the project to the Committee on Toxicology (COT) of the Commission on Life Sciences' Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology. COT convened the Subcommittee on Flame-Retardant Chemicals, which prepared this report. Subcommittee members were chosen for their recognized expertise in toxicology, pharmacology, epidemiology, chemistry, exposure assessment, risk assessment, and biostatistics. Toxicological Risks of Selected Flame-Retardant Chemicals is organized into 18 chapters and two appendices. Chapter 2 describes the risk assessment process used by the subcommittee in determining the risk associated with potential exposure to the various FR chemicals. Chapter 3 describes the method the subcommittee used to measure and estimate the intensity, frequency, extent, and duration of human exposure to FR chemicals. Chapters 4-19 provide the subcommittee's review and assessment of health risks posed by exposure to each of the 16 FR chemicals. Data gaps and research needs are provided at the end of these chapters.

Contents:

Toxicological Risks of Selected Flame-Retardant Chemicals

Copyright

OTHER REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

THE CHARGE TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE

THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S APPROACH

Hazard Identification

Dose-Response Assessment

Exposure Assessment

Risk Characterization

SUMMARY OF TOXICOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENTS

UNCERTAINTIES ASSOCIATED WITH RISK ESTIMATES

DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS

1 Introduction

THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S APPROACH TO ITS CHARGE

FLAME RETARDANT PROCESSES

CALIFORNIA, UNITED KINGDOM, AND EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE

ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT

REFERENCES

2 Assessment of Health Risks from the Use of Flame Retardants

THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Observations of Humans

Studies of Laboratory Animals

In Vitro Studies

Discussion

Toxic Potency or Dose-Response Assessment

Determination of Toxic Potency for Noncancer Effects

Uncertainty Factors

Interspecies Extrapolation

Intraspecies Extrapolation

Extrapolation from Subchronic to Chronic Exposures

Extrapolation from LOAEL to NOAEL

Route-to-Route Extrapolation

Adjustment to Account for Poor Quality of the Database

Overall Uncertainty Factor

Carcinogenic Potency

Exposure1 Assessment for Flame Retardants

Risk Characterization of Flame Retardants

Risk Characterization of Noncarcinogenic Effects

Risk Characterization of Carcinogenic Effects

3 Exposure Assessment Methodology

DERMAL EXPOSURE SCENARIO

First Iteration

Alternative Iteration

INHALATION EXPOSURE SCENARIO

Particles

Vapors

Uncertainty in the Inhalation Exposure Estimates

ORAL EXPOSURE SCENARIO

Uncertainties in the Oral Exposure Estimate

4 Hexabromocyclododecane.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

OCCURRENCE AND USE

TOXICOKINETICS

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

Dermal Exposure

Irritation

Dermal Sensitization

Systemic Effects

Other Systemic Effects

Inhalation Exposure

Oral Exposure

Reproductive and Developmental Effects

Cancer

Genotoxicity

QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT

Noncancer

Dermal Assessment

Inhalation RfC

Oral RfD

EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION

Noncancer Assessment

Cancer Assessment

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS

5 Decabromodiphenyl Oxide

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Irritation/Sensitization

Oral

6 Alumina Trihydrate

Absorption

Dermal Exposure.

Inhalation Exposure

Distribution and Metabolism

Other Routes of Exposure

Excretion

Neurological Effects

7 Magnesium Hydroxide

Dermal

Inhalation

Distribution

Dermal and Inhalation

Metabolism

Human Data

Animal Data

Immunological and Neurological Effects

Carcinogenicity

8 Zinc Borate

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES.

OCCURRENCE AND USE

Zinc Borate

Zinc Oxide

Boric Acid

Metabolism and Distribution

Irritation and Sensitization

Immunological Effects

Particulates

Vapor

9 Calcium and Zinc Molybdates

Molybdenum Compounds

Zinc

Reproductive and Developmental Effects.

Molybdenum Compounds

Molybdenum compounds

10 Antimony Trioxide

Metabolism and Excretion

Sensitization

Inhalation (Particles)

Inhalation (Vapors)

11 Antimony Pentoxide and Sodium Antimonate

OCCURRENCE AND USE.

Notes:

"This project between the National Academy of Sciences and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was supported by Contract No. CPSC-C-99-1152"--T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

0-309-17193-8

1-280-18548-1

9786610185481

0-309-59232-1

0-585-36873-2

OCLC:

47010243