Toxicity Profile for Ammonium hydroxide (1995)

Abstract

In man, concentrated solutions of ammonium hydroxide are severe skin irritants, may cause permanent eye damage, and are highly toxic if ingested (due to their caustic nature). A dilute solution was of moderate acute oral toxicity in the rat. Repeated oral administration of dilute solutions apparently produced an increase in the size of a number of hormonally sensitive organs in rabbits and effects on the stomach of rats. In limited studies, there was no evidence of any reproductive or carcinogenic effects in rats treated dermally or of carcinogenicity in mice treated orally. Administration of ammonium hydroxide in the drinking water of rats did increase the incidence of stomach cancer induced by oral exposure to a standard carcinogen. Bacterial studies suggest that ammonium hydroxide may be a weak mutagen.