Factors affecting the skin penetration and carcinogenic potency of petroleum products containing polycyclic aromatic compounds

Report no. 90/55: A review is made of the Factors which affects the skin penetration of petroleum products containing polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC).

The bioavailability of petroleum products in contact with the skin is determined by penetration of the product through the stratum corneum into the deeper layers consisting of livint cells. This in petroleum product, the matrix composition of the product, the thickness of the layer of the product on the skin and the duration of skin contact.

Not with standing these factors, the PAC content of the product applied to the skin has an overwhelming influence for those products studied which ranged in viscosities from 6 to 415 cSt.