3. Health Aspects

3.3 Skin and Eye Irritation

Repeat dose studies in experimental animals using occlusive applications of styrene have caused moderate to marked irritation. Human experience indicates that liquid styrene can cause defattening of the skin and frequent contact might cause dermatitis. The application of liquid styrene to eyes of experimental animals has been reported to produce moderate irritation, with severe eye irritation being described in rats exposed to a styrene vapour concentration above 11,000 ppm. Human studies indicate that accidental splashing of undiluted styrene can produce slight eye injury while vapour exposures have produced slight eye irritation (100 ppm) with conjunctivitis and more severe eye irritation at 200 ppm. Usually the eye recovers rapidly within 48 hours.

CEFIC
Avenue E Van Nieuwenhuyse 4
B- 1160 Brussels

Philippe Maréchal
T +32 2 676 72 05
E pma@cefic.be