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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Administrative data

Description of key information

Direct skin or mucous membrane contact with liquid forms of C1- C4 alkane gases may cause burns and frostbite due to the extreme cold of the liquid.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Skin irritation / corrosion

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Eye irritation

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Respiratory irritation

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Additional information

In accordance with Section 2 of REACH Annex XI, studies on skin and eye irritation do not need to be conducted as members of the Petroleum Gases category are flammable gases at room temperature.

Category members are not expected to be irritating and this is confirmed by pre-guideline rabbit skin and eye irritation studies on formulations although these data cannot be relied upon since there are insufficient details on how the test materials (as gases) were applied (Anon, 1982. Final report of the safety assessment of isobutane, isopentane, n-butane and propane, J American College of Toxicology, Volume 1, Number 4, 127-142).

Skin

Non-human information

No guideline studies available.

 

Human information

Very slight and transient erythema occurred randomly among the subjects following repeated applications of aerosol products, containing a mixture of isobutane and propane at 64.5% and 70% by weight, respectively. The reactions were reported to be negligible. Both isobutane and propane were considered practically non irritant to human skin (Anon 1982).

Direct skin contact with liquid forms of C1- C4 alkane gases may cause burns and frostbite due to the extreme cold of the liquid (rapid evaporation lowers the skin temperature causing frost injuries) (Cavender 1994).

 

Eye

Non-human information

No guideline studies available.

 

Human information

Direct mucous membrane contact with liquid forms of C1- C4 alkane gases may cause burns and frostbite due to the extreme cold of the liquid (Cavender 1994).

 

Respiratory tract

Non-human information

No data exist for the C1-C4 alkanes. There are no indications of irritation from repeat dose inhalation studies.

 

Human information

Berzins et al (1995) reported human exposure to propane at 100000 ppm (180 mg/L) caused slight dizziness but no mucosal irritation of nose, eyes or respiratory tract was observed.

Justification for classification or non-classification

Members of the Petroleum Gases category are flammable gases at room temperature. There are sufficient data available to conclude that streams within this category are not irritating therefore do not warrant classification under GHS/CLP.