Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Aug 2019
The selective determination of potentially carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic compounds in lubricant base oils by the DMSO extraction method IP346 and its correlation to mouse skin painting carcinogenicity assays.
Mineral oils are produced by vacuum distillation of crude oil at temperatures from ∼300 °C to ∼600 °C. Subsequent refining processes to eliminate the carcinogenic potential of mineral oils (by extraction and/or hydrotreatment) are based on the principle of removing substances associated with carcinogenic activity; i.e. PAC (polycyclic aromatic compounds), which include PAH and N or S heterocycles. ⋯ The DMSO based IP346 is thus a simple but clear reflection of refinement efficacy. It links manufacturing conditions to carcinogenic potential of an oil, supported by solid physical-chemical and toxicological associations. In Europe it is the only legally binding method to assess, classify and label lubricating base oils and inherently more reliable for hazard assessment than the determination of an arbitrary selection of PAH.