Acute Toxicity Studies of Xerox Reprographic Toners

Abstract

Typical reprographic toners consist of a thermoplastic polymer or polymers as the major component, a colorant or colorants (carbon black or color pigments), and small quantities of additives such as charge control and/or lubricating/release agents. Another type of toner contains iron oxides and polymers) as the major components. As a complement to the recently published Xerox chronic inhalation studies of toners, we are reporting the acute toxicity studies of some typical Xerox toners. The studies include acute oral toxicity in rats, acute dermal toxicity in rabbits, acute inhalation toxicity in rats, eye irritation in rabbits, skin irritation in rabbits, skin sensitization in guinea pigs, and the repeated-insult patch test in humans. These studies represent our acute toxicity testing using different protocols with various toners carried out during the period 1969–1984. In addition, we recently carried out acute dermal toxicity testing at 5 g/kg with two representative toners, for the purpose of classification of waste toners in the State of California. The test results consistently indicate that all toners were practically nontoxic: oral LD50 from <5 to <35 g/kg; dermal LD50 from <2 to <5 g/kg; and inhalation LC50 (4 h) from <0.17 to <10.2 g/m3. They were nonirritating to the eye and nonirritating/ nonsensitizing to the skin.