- Author
- Doe, J. E.
- Title
- Toxicity Testing: An Industry Viewpoint.
- Coporate
- Imperial Chemical Industries PLC, Cheshire, United Kingdom
- Book or Conf
- International Conference on Flammability. INTERFLAM '85. Conference Workbook. March 26-28, 1985, Guildford, England, 95-99 p., 1985
- Keywords
- toxicology | product development
- Abstract
- Toxicology has become part of new product development and internationally accepted guidelines have been developed. Sensible interpretation of toxicity test results can protect society against the inadvertent introduction of potentially harmful chemicals and allows a supplying company to demonstrate the reasoning behind its recommendations for safe use. Combustion toxicology has, in contrast, been seen as part of 'fire testing' and some of the concepts used in fire testing have been applied, such as the wish to introduce 'pass/fail' criteria. There have also been unreasonable expectations for the toxicity test to be a 'hazard test' or even a 'risk test', a demand not made in other areas of toxicology. In response to the need for a responsible supplier to assure himself and his customers that his products would not cause unreasonable risks, a different philosophy has evolved. Analytical studies define the major toxicants derived from a decomposing polymer. Experiments using animals are then used to ensure that no other significant toxicants are produced. Subsequently, chemical analysis can be used to predict life threat in fires.