Health Concerns of the Ingredient:
Overall Hazard
About LIMONENE: Limonene is a scent ingredient and solvent naturally ocurring in the rind of citrus fruit. Upon storage and exposure to sunlight and air, limonene degrades to various oxidation products which act as ... read more
About LIMONENE: Limonene is a scent ingredient and solvent naturally ocurring in the rind of citrus fruit. Upon storage and exposure to sunlight and air, limonene degrades to various oxidation products which act as skin and respiratory irritants and sensitizers.
Function(s): PERFUMING
Synoym(s): 1-METHYL-4- (1-METHYLETHENYL) CYCLOHEXENE; 1-METHYL-4-ISOPROPENPYLCYCLOHEXENE; D,L-LIMONENE (ISOMER UNSPECIFIED) ; DIPENTENE; DL-LIMONENE; DL-LIMONENE (RACEMIC) ; LIMONENE ESSENTIAL OIL; (+) -4-ISOPROPENYL-1-METHYLCYCLOHEXENE; (+) -R-LIMONENE; (-) -LIMONENE; (S) -LIMONENE
Use restrictions
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - | CosIng |
| Recommended restricted in cosmetics - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Fragrance subject to restrictions: safe only if satisfies manufacturing specifications or purity limits, according to industry safety panel (International Fragrance Association) | International Fragrance Association Codes & Standards |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Possible human immune system toxicant or allergen | EU Banned and Restricted Fragrances |
| Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies (only for products for use on skin) | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Classified as irritant | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| One or more animal studies show developmental effects at high doses | Kodama R, Okubo A,Araki E,Noda K,Ide H, Ikeda T |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Cancer
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Cancer - not classifiable/not likely to be human carcinogen | Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens |
Miscellaneous
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Occupational hazards related to handling | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| 2,018 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | NLM PubMed |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as a low human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
| AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP. |
| EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| European Commission. 2013. Cosing, the European Commission database with information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. Accessed on March 1, 2013 at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/ . |
| FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures). |
| IFRA (International Fragrance Association). 2006. Codes and Standards. |
| IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
| Kodama R, Okubo A,Araki E,Noda K,Ide H, Ikeda T. Studies on d-limonene as a gallstone solubilizer. (VII). Effects on development of mouse fetuses and offsprings 1977; Oyo Yakuri. 13(6): 863-873. |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov. |
| SCCPNFP (Scientific Committee On Cosmetic Products And Non-Food Products). 1999. Opinion Concerning Fragrance Allergy In Consumers. . SCCNFP/0017/98 Final, December 1999; and SCCPNFP (Scientific Committee On Cosmetic Products And Non-Food Products). 2000. An Initial List Of Perfumery Materials Which Must Not Form Part Of Fragrances Compounds Used In Cosmetic Products. SCCNFP/0320/00, final May 2000. |
Products Containing the Ingredient
About the ratings
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any.
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