A review of the toxicity of stainless steel

Stainless steel is the most widely used surface treatment method with the best cost performance in the world. Stainless steel has been developed for hundreds of years, but our human understanding of it is not complete - especially whether it is toxic. In recent years, more and more scholars have shown that stainless steel materials used in daily life are not toxic. Now, let's take a look at the research process of stainless steel toxicity.

Here is the content list:

l  Toxicokinetic of Stainless Steel

l  Cytotoxicity in Vitro

l  Acute Toxicity of Stainless Steels

l  Irritating to skin and eyes

l  Sensitization

Toxicokinetic of Stainless Steel

Toxicokinetic parameters of metallic stainless steel have not been specifically studied. Two studies with limited human toxicokinetic data based on workers in a stainless steel integrated manufacturing plant have been published. In the study, researchers observed chromium absorption by workers, but at generally low levels. Another study of dust retention in the lungs of stainless steel workers showed slightly higher levels of magnetic material in their lungs. However, these data do not provide much information about the toxicokinetic profile of stainless steel.

Cytotoxicity in Vitro

In neutral red absorption tests, stainless steel showed only mild in vitro cytotoxicity. The applicability of these tests to the determination of starting doses for acute oral toxicity tests is being validated in order to reduce and improve the use of animals for such tests. However, the cells used in these tests were different from those used to study the cytotoxicity of stainless steel. Based on these studies, it is not possible to draw definitive conclusions about oral acute toxicity. Some additional uncertainty also comes from the fact that culture media and gastric juices have different acidity levels.

Acute Toxicity of Stainless Steels

Although there is no available data on acute toxicity studies of stainless steel coil, experience with long-term use and subacute studies strongly suggest that there is no acute toxicity of stainless steel through inhalation or through the skin or oral exposure.

Irritating to skin and eyes

The low metal release rate of stainless steel makes it an impossible irritant. There have been no reports of the skin or eye irritation from stainless steel. Extensive and long-term continuous use of stainless-steel objects to the skin, even to the human eye did not cause stimulation.

Sensitization

The release of nickel from stainless steel is the key sensitization factor. However, many studies have shown that the release rate of nickel is very low, so it is not possible for stainless steel to induce sensitization. In addition, its widespread use and the low number of confirmed cases of nickel allergy, even in people with nickel allergy, support the conclusion that stainless steel is not a potential sensitizer.

In conclusion, metal stainless steels may have very low toxicity. According to the GHSCLP classification and labeling standards for mixtures, many stainless steels should be classified as target organ specific poisons and/or class 2 carcinogens due to their nickel content. However, available stainless-steel specific data provide sufficient evidence that this classification is misleading. The above is an excerpt of the toxicity research process of stainless steel. If you want to know the specific process of it, you can search and consult on Google.