September 1995 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Boron and Compounds |
(Boro) |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about boron. For more information,
you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737.
This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous
substances and their health effects. This information is important
because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure
to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration,
how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether
other chemicals are present.
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SUMMARY: Exposure to boron
occurs in the workplace or from using certain consumer
products. Breathing moderate levels of boron irritates
the nose, throat, and eyes. This chemical has been found
in at least 142 of 1,416 National Priorities List sites
identified by the Environmental Protection Agency. |
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What
is boron? |
Boron is a compound that occurs in nature.
It is often found combined with other substances to form compounds
called borates. Common borate compounds include boric acid,
salts of borates, and boron oxide.
Several companies in the United States
produce most of the world's borates by processing boron compounds.
Borates are used mostly to produce glass. They are also used
in fire retardants, leather tanning industries, cosmetics,
photographic materials, soaps and cleaners, and for high-energy
fuel. Some pesticides used for cockroach control and some
wood preservatives also contain borates.
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What
happens to boron when it enters the environment? |
- Boron is released to the environment from natural sources
such as oceans, volcanoes, and geothermal steam.
- Boron is also released from industries that use it.
- No information is available on how long boron remains
in air, water, or soil.
- Boron does not appear to accumulate in fish or other organisms
in water.
- Boron accumulates in plants and is found in foods, mainly
fruits and vegetables.
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How
might I be exposed to boron? |
- In air, water, and food at low levels.
- Drinking water that contains it from areas where boron
is found. naturally at high levels in the earth.
- Eating foods containing high levels.
- Working in borax mining and refining plants and at sites
where boric acid is manufactured.
- Using consumer products that contain it, such as cosmetics
and laundry products.
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How
can boron affect my health? |
There is little information on the health
effects of long-term exposure to boron. Most of the studies
are on short-term exposures.
Breathing moderate levels of boron can
result in irritation of the nose, throat, and eyes. Reproductive
effects, such as low sperm count, were seen in men exposed
to boron over the long-term. Animal studies have shown effects
on the lungs from breathing high levels of boron.
Ingesting large amounts of boron over
short periods of time can harm the stomach, intestines, liver,
kidney, and brain. Animal studies of ingestion of boron found
effects on the testes in male animals. Birth defects were
also seen in the offspring of female animals exposed during
pregnancy.
We don't know what the effects are in
people from skin contact with boron. Animal studies have found
skin irritation when boron was applied directly to the skin.
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How
likely is boron to cause cancer? |
The Department of Health and Human Services,
the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) have not classified boron as to its
human carcinogenicity.
One animal study found no evidence of
cancer after lifetime exposure to boric acid in food. No human
studies are available.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to boron? |
Tests are available to measure boron
levels in blood and urine. These tests must be done shortly
after exposure, because most excess boron leaves the body
through the urine within a few days of exposure.
These tests are not usually performed
in doctors' offices because special equipment is needed to
conduct them. It is not known whether boron levels measured
in the body can be used to predict whether health problems
will occur.
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Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The EPA allows no more than 30 parts
of boron per million parts of cottonseed oil (30 ppm) and
8 ppm of boron in or on citrus fruits.
The EPA requires that discharges or spills
into the environment of 100 pounds of more of boron trichloride
and boron trifluoride be reported.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) has set an occupational exposure limit of 15 milligrams
per cubic meter (15 mg/m³) for boron oxide dust in workplace
air for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek. The National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) currently
recommends an occupational exposure limit of 10 mg/m³
for boron oxide dust.
NIOSH also recommends that 25 ppm boron
trifluoride be considered immediately dangerous to life and
health. This is the exposure level of a chemical that is likely
to cause permanent health problems or death.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
allows no more than 310 ppm of boron as a food additive.
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Glossary |
Carcinogenicity: Ability to cause cancer.
Ingesting: Taking food or drink into
your body.
Long-term: Lasting one year or longer.
Milligram (mg): One thousandth of a gram.
Pesticides: Chemicals used to kill pests.
ppm: Parts per million.
Short-term: Lasting 14 days or less.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1992. Toxicological Profile for boron. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Public Health Service.
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Where can I get more information? |
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational
and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize,
evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous
substances. You can also contact your community or state health
or environmental quality department if you have any more questions
or concerns. For more information, contact:
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737)
FAX: (770)-488-4178
Email: ATSDRIC@cdc.gov
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