Assessment of petroleum streams for thyroid toxicity

The thyroid gland, and its associated endocrine hormones, is a growing area of interest in regulatory toxicology due to its important role in metabolism, growth and development. This report presents a review of the toxicology data on chemically complex petroleum streams for thyroid hormone effects.

HIGHLIGHTS

• 19 petroleum streams were assessed for thyroid effects, from 349 animal studies;
• 3 studies found effects related to thyroid toxicity, related to high aromatic content;
• Two human studies reported significant but weak associations with thyroid cancer;
• The 19 petroleum streams presented a low potential for thyroid effects or toxicity.