DERMAL CARCINOGENICITY STUDIES OF METALWORKING FLUIDS

In the past, occupational skin cancer has been associated with the use of unrefined lubricating oils for various industrial processes. The c arcinogenic constituents of these oils have been identified, and sever al refining techniques have been developed to remove or modify these h azardous components. It has been shown experimentally that highly refi ned oils do not produce skin cancer. The present study examines the de rmal carcinogenic potential of lubricating oils produced by several re fining processes and the products formulated from these oils. Consiste nt with previous data, it was found that highly refined oils are not c arcinogenic, and that products formulated from these oils are similarl y not carcinogenic provided that the additives are not carcinogenic. A dditionally, the data also suggested that industrial usage does not in fluence the carcinogenic potential of these products. Thus, it is conc luded that when noncarcinogenic additives are used in products formula ted from high quality oils, the resulting products pose minimal skin c ancer hazard when used under appropriate conditions for industrial app lications.