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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Link to relevant study record(s)

Description of key information

No experimental data were located on the absorption, distribution, metabolism or elimination of Heavy Fuel Oil Components in vivo.

Physicochemical considerations suggest that uptake across skin is possible but will be relatively low since only around 2% of the hydrocarbon blocks present have a log Pow <5 (ECHA, 2008). This is supported by results from animal acute dermal toxicity testing.

Low water solubility of Heavy Fuel Oil Components combined with results from a rat acute inhalation toxicity study suggest that uptake across the lung following inhalation exposure is low.

Modelled information indicates that the majority of hydrocarbon substances present in Heavy Fuel Oil Components have a predicted log Pow of >5, making uptake by micellar solubilisation possible following oral exposure. However, while the extent of the uptake is uncharacterized, oral LD50 values in the range 4 g/kg bw/d to >25 g/kg bw/d suggest this is low, or that the absorbed components are of low intrinsic toxicity.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Bioaccumulation potential:
low bioaccumulation potential

Additional information

No experimental data were located on the absorption, distribution, metabolism or elimination of Heavy Fuel Oil Components in vivo. This is not unexpected given the predictable technical difficulties associated with characterising the fate of complex UVCB petroleum substances in the body.

Physicochemical considerations suggest that uptake across skin is possible but will be relatively low since only around 2% of the hydrocarbon blocks present have a log Pow <5 (ECHA, 2008). This is supported by results from animal acute dermal toxicity testing, where no mortality and only limited (gross) systemic changes were recorded following 24 h occluded exposure to 2-5 g/Kg bw of test substance, indicating that uptake by undamaged skin was limited; or that the absorbed hydrocarbon components were of low inherent toxicity. No measured data are available on the distribution or metabolic fate of Heavy Fuel Oil Components.

Results from a rat acute inhalation toxicity study (where no grossly observable systemic changes were found at necropsy) combined with the low water solubility of Heavy Fuel Oil Components suggests that uptake across the lung is low. This is supported by physicochemical considerations (ECHA, 2008). No information was located on the uptake and subsequent in vivo fate of Heavy Fuel Oil Components following inhalation exposure to aerosol or vapour.

With regard to uptake after ingestion, modelled information indicates that the majority of hydrocarbon substances present in Heavy Fuel Oil Components have a predicted log Pow of >5 suggesting that uptake by micellar solubilisation is possible (ECHA, 2008). The extent of uptake is uncharacterised however, but oral LD50 values in the range 4 g/kg bw/d to >25 g/kg bw/d suggests either that this is low, or that the absorbed components are of low intrinsic toxicity. No information was located on the metabolism and subsequent fate of Heavy Fuel Oil Components in vivo after ingestion.