The relative under-appreciation of the importance
of dermal exposure is indicated by the lack
of emphasis on dermal exposure estimation in
many recent textbooks on occupational and environmental
hygiene. The American Conference of
Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH (1))
has listed quantitative occupational exposure
limits (Threshold Limit Values) for inhalation
exposure for several hundreds of chemical compounds,
but gives only a qualitative skin notation
for much fewer compounds, indicating that they
may be hazardous by uptake through the skin.
Quantitative dermal (occupational) exposure
limits have not yet been developed.