Fuel Oils / Kerosene

CAS ID#: 8008-20-6, 70892-10-3, 68476-30-2, 68476-34-6, 68476-31-3

Affected Organ Systems: Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Vessels), Gastrointestinal (Stomach and Intestines, part of the digestive system), Hepatic (Liver), Neurological (Nervous System), Ocular (Eyes)

Cancer Classification:  Please contact NTP, IARC, or EPA with questions on cancer and cancer classification.

Chemical Classification: Hydrocarbons (contain hydrogen and carbon atoms)

Summary: Fuel oils are a variety of yellowish to light brown liquid mixtures that come from crude petroleum. Some chemicals found in fuel oils may evaporate easily, while others may more easily dissolve in water. Fuel oils are produced by different petroleum refining processes, depending on their intended uses. Fuel oils may be used as fuel for engines, lamps, heaters, furnaces, and stoves, or as solvents. Some commonly found fuel oils include kerosene, diesel fuel, jet fuel, range oil, and home heating oil. These fuel oils differ from one another by their hydrocarbon compositions, boiling point ranges, chemical additives, and uses.

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Public Health Statement - Summary about a hazardous substance taken from Chapter One of its respective ATSDR Toxicological Profile.

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Toxicological Profile - Succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for a hazardous substance.

Minimal Risk Levels (MRL) - The MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse, non-cancer health effects over a specified duration of exposure. The information in this MRL serves as a screening tool to help public health professionals decide where to look more closely to evaluate possible risk of adverse health effects from human exposure.

Page last reviewed: February 10, 2021
Content source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry