AM-98-48 CURRENT BASE OIL HEALTH ISSUES

Description:

There are several domestic and international regulatory issues which may impact the current and future use of base oils. The continued use of white mineral oils and waxes for human contact applications is under consideration in Europe. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist had proposed a significant reduction in the Threshold Limit Value for mineral oil mist, and has proposed a complicated analytical method to assess the levels of specific polynuclear aromatic compounds in the mist. The European Union has adopted the use of an Institute of Petroleum test as a definitive screen for the carcinogenic potential of base lubricating oils. There is an OSHA Standards Advisory Committee examining the health effects of metalworking fluids. The American Petroleum Institute has initiated a project to ascertain if extrapolation of dermal studies to inhalation exposures is appropriate for purposes of hazard identification and risk assessment. This paper will briefly summarize these issue, the players and the current status of these issues.