Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

LINALOOL

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Class C fragrance - virtually nonsensitising fragrance (Nakayama 1998). Terpene alcohol;
chief constituent of linaloe oil; also occurs in oils of Ceylon cinnamon, sassafras,
orange flower, bergamot, Artemisia balchanorum, ylang ylang. Occurs as the dl- form or as
the l- form (licareol) or d- form (coriandrol). Used in perfumery as a replacement for
French lavender and bergamot. Fragrance

SYNONYMS

C10-H18-O, (CH3)2C=CHCH2CH2C(CH3)(OH)CH=CH2, "natural product", "terpene alcohol",
"essential oil extract", "1, 6-octadien-3-ol, 3, 7-dimethyl-", "1, 6-octadien-3-ol, 3,
7-dimethyl-", allo-ocimenol, "2, 6-dimethyl-2, 7-octadiene-6-ol", "2, 6-dimethyl-2, 7-
octadiene-6-ol", "2, 6-dimethylocta-2, 7-dien-3-ol", "2, 6-dimethylocta-2, 7-dien-3-ol",
linalol, "linalyl alcohol", "linalool special", dl-linalool, licareol, coriandrol,
"linalool for synthesis", "Extract of: lavender, bergamot, cinnamon, sassafras,
Artemesia balchanorum, ylang ylang"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
May form explosive peroxides.
Irritating to skin.
May cause SENSITIZATION by skin contact.
HARMFUL - May cause lung damage if swallowed.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Swallowing of the liquid may cause aspiration into the lungs with the risk of chemical pneumonitis; serious consequences may result. (ICSC13733).  Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual.  An estimated acceptable daily intake of up to 500 microgram per kilogram body weight was estimated for the terpene/ terpenoids, citral, geranyl acetate, citronellol, linalool and linaly acetate (expressed as citral).  Twenty-third Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives  Tech. Rep. Ser. Wld Hlth Org. No. 648, 1980.  

EYE

  Although the liquid is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may produce transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn).  

SKIN

  Skin contact is not thought to have harmful health effects, however the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions.  Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected.  The material may cause moderate inflammation of the skin either following direct contact or after a delay of some time. Repeated exposure can cause contact dermatitis which is characterized by redness, swelling and blistering.  

INHALED

  Inhalation may produce health damage*.  Inhalation of vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness. This may be accompanied by narcosis, reduced alertness, loss of reflexes, lack of coordination and vertigo.  Inhalation of aerosols (mists, fumes), generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual.  There is some evidence to suggest that the material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage.  Acute effects from inhalation of high concentrations of vapor may be nose, throat and chest irritation with coughing, sneezing and possible nausea.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Skin contact with the material is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population.  In the presence of air, a number of common flavour and fragrance chemicals can form peroxides surprisingly fast. Antioxidants can in most cases minimise the oxidation.  Fragrance terpenes are generally easily oxidised in air. Non-oxidised limonene, linalool and caryophyllene turned out to be very weak sensitizers, however after oxidation limonene hydroperoxide and linalool hydroperoxide are strong sensitizers. Of the patients tested 2.6% showed positive reaction to oxidised limonene, 1.3% to oxidised linalool, 1.1% to linalool hydroperoxide, 0.5% to oxidised caryophyllene, while testing with caryophyllene oxide and oxidised myrcene resulted in few positive patch tests. 2/3 of the patients reacting positive to oxidised terpenes had fragrance related contact allergy and/or positive history for adverse reactions to fragrances.  As well as the hydroperoxides produced by linalol, limonene and delta-3-carene other oxidation and resinification effects progressively causes other fairly major changes in essential oil quality over time. Autoxidation of fragrance terpenes contributes greatly to fragrance allergy, which emphasizes the need of testing with compounds that patients are actually exposed to and not only with the ingredients originally applied in commercial formulations.  Linalool (a terpinoid) is an unsaturated tertiary alcohol. It is a naturally occurring component together with linalyl esters in a variety of fruits, fruit peels, fruit juices, vegetables and spices as for example laurel, coriander seeds and clary sage. The annual worldwide use of linalool and linalyl acetate in fragrances exceeds 1000 metric tons.  For consideration of potential sensitization the exposure is calculated as a percent concentration used on the skin. Exposure to linalool used in fine fragrance products is reported as 4.3% based on the use of 20% of the fragrance mixture in the fine fragrance consumer product.  Experimental studies in laboratory animals combined with advanced chemical analyses have shown that linalool is easily oxidized, and that the content of linalool decreased to about 80% after oxidation for 10 weeks at standardized conditions. One of the major oxidation products was identified as 7-hydroperoxy-3,7-dimethyl-octal-1,5-diene-3-ol. In guinea pig sensitisation studies a sample of oxidized linalool was a significant allergen sensitizing 8 of 15 test animals, whereas controls were negative. Linalyl hydroperoxide is a very strong sensitiser at the 1% level. Further studies have documented the sensitising capacity of linalool and derivatives found commercially available grade of linalool (97% purity) to be a weak sensitiser. When impurities were identified and removed the sensitising capacity was reduced but not eliminated. During storage, linalool undergoes autoxidation, building up products including hydroperoxides such as 7-  hydroperoxy-3,7-dimethyl-octal-1,5-diene-3-ol , which has been identified as the apparent cause allergic reactions on exposed skin. Animal testing data found that with guinea pigs,  ten week old samples of linalool sensitized the animals skin, but highly purified linalool produces no reaction. Auto-oxidation was therefore identified by the authors as necessary for the sensitising process.  Peroxidisable terpenes and terpenoids should only be used when the level of peroxides is kept to the lowest practicable level, for instance by adding antioxidants at the time of production. Such products should have a peroxide value of less than 10 millimoles peroxide per liter. This requirement is based on the published literature mentioning sensitising properties when containing peroxides.  Sensitization may result in allergic dermatitis responses includingrash, itching, hives or swelling of extremities.  Nervous and digestive symptoms develop from repeated skin exposure to Bergamot oil. Persons sensitive to this oil may develop photodermatitis, eczema and pigment changes.