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TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR BORON Prepared by: Life Systems, Inc. Under Subcontract to: Clement International Corporation Under Contract No. 205-88-0608 Prepared for: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry U.S. Public Health Service July 1992 DISCLAIMER The use of company or product name(s) is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. CONTENTS DISCLAIMER FOREWORD LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES 1. PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 1.1 WHAT IS BORON? 1.2 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO BORON? 1.3 HOW CAN BORON ENTER AND LEAVE MY BODY? 1.4 HOW CAN BORON AFFECT MY HEALTH? 1.5 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO BORON? 1.6 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH? 1.7 WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? 2. HEALTH EFFECTS 2.1 INTRODUCTION 2.2 DISCUSSION OF HEALTH EFFECTS BY ROUTE OF EXPOSURE 2.2.1 Inhalation Exposure 2.2.1.1 Death 2.2.1.2 Systemic Effects 2.2.1.3 Immunological Effects 2.2.1.4 Neurological Effects 2.2.1.5 Developmental Effects 2.2.1.6 Reproductive Effects 2.2.1.7 Genotoxic Effects 2.2.1.8 Cancer 2.2.2 Oral Exposure 2.2.2.1 Death 2.2.2.2 Systemic Effects 2.2.2.3 Immunological Effects 2.2.2.4 Neurological Effects 2.2.2.5 Developmental Effects 2.2.2.6 Reproductive Effects 2.2.2.7 Genotoxic Effects 2.2.2.8 Cancer 2.2.3 Dermal Exposure 2.2.3.1 Death 2.2.3.2 Systemic Effects 2.2.3.3 Immunological Effects 2.2.3.4 Neurological Effects 2.2.3.5 Developmental Effects 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.2.3.6 Reproductive Effects 2.2.3.7 Genotoxic Effects 2.2.3.8 Cancer TOXICOKINETICS 2.3.1 Absorption 2.3.1.1 Inhalation Exposure 2.3.1.2 Oral Exposure 2.3.1.3 Dermal Exposure 2.3.2 Distribution 2.3.2.1 Inhalation Exposure 2.3.2.2 Oral Exposure 2.3.2.3 Dermal Exposure 2.3.3 Metabolism 2.3.3.1 Inhalation Exposure 2.3.3.2 Oral Exposure 2.3.3.3 Dermal Exposure 2.3.4 Excretion 2.3.4.1 Inhalation Exposure 2.3.4.2 Oral Exposure 2.3.4.3 Dermal Exposure 2.3.4.4 Other Exposure RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE AND EFFECT 2.5.1 Biomarkers Used to Identify and/or Quantify Exposure to Boron 2.5.2 Biomarkers Used to Characterize Effects Caused by Boron INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER CHEMICALS POPULATIONS THAT ARE UNUSUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE MITIGATION OF EFFECTS ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE 2.9.1 Existing Information on Health Effects of Boron 2.9.2 Data Needs 2.9.3 On-going Studies 3. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INFORMATION 3.1 CHEMICAL IDENTITY 3.2 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES 4. PRODUCTION, IMPORT, USE, AND DISPOSAL 4.1 PRODUCTION 4.2 IMPORT/EXPORT 4.3 USE 4.4 DISPOSAL 5. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE 5.1 OVERVIEW 5.2 RELEASES TO THE ENVIRONMENT 5.2.1 Air 5.2.2 Water 5.2.3 Soil 5.3 ENVIRONMENTAL FATE 5.3.1 5.3.2 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Transport and Partitioning Transformation and Degradation 5.3.2.1 Air 5.3.2.2 Water 5.3.2.3 Soil LEVELS MONITORED OR ESTIMATED IN THE ENVIRONMENT 5.4.1 Air 5.4.2 Water 5.4.3 Soil 5.4.4 Other Environmental Media GENERAL POPULATION AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE POPULATIONS WITH POTENTIALLY HIGH EXPOSURES ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE 5.7.1 Data Needs 5.7.2 On-going Studies 6. ANALYTICAL METHODS 6.1 BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS 6.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES 6.3 ADEQUACY OF THE DATABASE 6.3.1 Data Needs 6.3.2 On-going Studies 7. REGULATIONS AND ADVISORIES 8. REFERENCES 9. GLOSSARY APPENDICES A. USER’S GUIDE B. ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SYMBOLS C. PEER REVIEW LIST OF FIGURES 2-1 Levels of Significant Exposure to Boron and Compounds-Inhalation 2-2 Levels of Significant Exposure to Boron and Compounds-Oral 2-3 Existing Information on Health Effects of Boron 5-1 Frequency of NPL Sites with Boron Contamination* LIST OF TABLES 2-1 Levels of Significant E