BHA is an antioxidant commonly used as a food preservative. It also used in cosmetics, food coating materials, waxes, and vitamin A preparations (Verhagen et al, 1991). Food products regulated by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act may contain BHA and BHT up to a total concentration of 0.02% of the food's total fat content. Food products regulated by the Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Inspection Act may contain up to 0.01% of each individual antioxidant, up to a combined total of 0.02% based on the weight of the fat (Branen, 1975).

BHT is an antioxidant commonly used as a food preservative. Foods can contain concentrations of 0.02%, while cosmetics may contain 0.01 to 0.1% (Bardazzi et al, 1988).

Capsules containing 250 mg are available in health food outlets.

4 grams produced gastritis in an adult (Shlian & Goldstone, 1986).

80 grams produced hallucinations, dysarthria and ataxia in an adult with no neurologic sequelae (Grogan, 1986).

No evidence of human toxicity was reported following chronic ingestion of up to 6 grams daily for 30 days (Anon, 1978).

Ingestion of 0.5 milligram/kilogram BHA for 10 days produced no adverse effects in healthy volunteers (Verhagen & Kleinjans, 1989).

A4 :Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen: Agents which cause concern that they could be carcinogenic for humans but which cannot be assessed conclusively because of a lack of data. In vitro or animal studies do not provide indications of carcinogenicity which are sufficient to classify the agent into one of the other categories.

3 : The agent (mixture or exposure circumstance) is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. This category is used most commonly for agents, mixtures and exposure circumstances for which the evidence of carcinogenicity is inadequate in humans and inadequate or limited in experimental animals. Exceptionally, agents (mixtures) for which the evidence of carcinogenicity is inadequate in humans but sufficient in experimental animals may be placed in this category when there is strong evidence that the mechanism of carcinogenicity in experimental animals does not operate in humans. Agents, mixtures and exposure circumstances that do not fall into any other group are also placed in this category.

Adopted Value

Under Study

TWA: 10 mg/m(3)

STEL:

Ceiling:

Carcinogen Listing: (Not Listed) Not Listed

Skin Designation: Not Listed

Note(s):

Health Rating (Blue): 2

Flammability Rating (Red): 1

Instability Rating (Yellow): 0

Oxidizer/Water-Reactive Designation: Not Listed

(1) Slightly combustible. Materials that require considerable preheating before ignition can occur. This rating includes most ordinary combustible materials.

2: "Water or foam may cause frothing" refers to a situation where materials with a flash point above 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) are burning. Potentially violent frothing can be dangerous to fire fighters near the burning liquid. However, when highly viscous liquids are burning, fire fighters can intentionally cause frothing on the liquid surface to prevent further introduction of oxygen.

TEEL-0: The threshold concentration below which most people will experience no adverse health effects.

TEEL-1: The airborne concentration (expressed as ppm [parts per million] or mg/m(3) [milligrams per cubic meter]) of a substance above which it is predicted that the general population, including susceptible individuals, could experience notable discomfort, irritation, or certain asymptomatic, nonsensory effects. However, these effects are not disabling and are transient and reversible upon cessation of exposure.

TEEL-2: The airborne concentration (expressed as ppm or mg/m(3)) of a substance above which it is predicted that the general population, including susceptible individuals, could experience irreversible or other serious, long-lasting, adverse health effects or an impaired ability to escape.

TEEL-3: The airborne concentration (expressed as ppm or mg/m(3)) of a substance above which it is predicted that the general population, including susceptible individuals, could experience life-threatening adverse health effects or death.