HP 2500C Series - Manual (Page 118)

Maintenance and Ink Cartridge Safety 5-6
Ink Cartridge Safety
Potential Health Effects
Primary Routes of Exposures Skin, eye, oral and inhalation
Acute Health Hazards
Skin Contact
Prolonged or repeated exposure to polyethylene glycol is
not likely to cause severe skin irritation. Severe response
may be caused if the skin is scratched or cut. If material is
encountered at higher temperature, more intense effects as
well as thermal burns are possible.
Skin Absorption The material is not likely to be absorbed through the skin in
harmful amount during a single prolonged exposure. There
is some indication that prolonged or repeated exposure of
damaged skin to polyethylene glycol may result in
absorption of toxic amounts.
Eye Polyethylene glycol may cause slight temporary eye
irritation.
Oral The toxicity for a single dose is low. No hazards
anticipated from ingestion incidental to industrial exposure.
Inhalation Vapors are unlikely at room temperature due to the
properties of polyethylene glycol.
Systemic and other effects Based on the data available, repeated exposures are not
likely to cause any severe adverse effects. Findings of
kidney failure and death in burn patients, as well as some
studies using animal burn models, suggest that
polyethylene glycol may have been a factor. The use of
tropical applications containing polyethylene glycol may
not be appropriate in severely burned patients of
individuals with impaired renal function. Polyethylene
glycol did not cause cancer in long term animal studies.