The Short Time Exposure (STE) test for predicting eye irritation potential: Intra-laboratory reproducibility and correspondence to globally harmonized system (GHS) and EU eye irritation classification for 109 chemicals

Short Time Exposure (STE) test is an easy in vitro eye irritation test that assesses cytotoxicity in SIRC cells (rabbit corneal cell line) following a 5 min dose treatment. To assess intra-laboratory reproducibility, medium control, three vehicles (saline, saline containing 5% (w/w) dimethyl sulfoxide, and mineral oil) and three standard chemicals (sodium lauryl sulfate, calcium thioglycolate, and Tween 80) were evaluated. Assessments were repeated 30 times for vehicles and 18 times for standard chemicals; resulting in almost the same cell viability and a low coefficient of variation value. In addition, the STE eye irritation rankings of three standard chemicals, as calculated on the cell viabilities in 5% and 0.05% solutions were in agreement in all tests. Based on these results, high intra-laboratory reproducibility was confirmed.In addition, the irritation category (irritant and non-irritant) was evaluated for 109 chemicals with STE test, globally harmonized system (GHS) classification, and European Union (EU) classification. The results of the evaluation found the STE classification to have an accuracy with GHS classification of 87% and with EU classification of 83%, which confirmed the excellent correspondence.The correspondence of STE rankings (1, 2, and 3) based on the prediction model by STE test with the eye irritation rankings by GHS (non-irritant, categories 2 and 1) and EU (non-irritant, R36, and R41) was 76% and 71%, respectively.Based on the above results, STE test was considered to be a promising alternative method for assessing eye irritation that has high intra-laboratory reproducibility as well as an excellent predictability of eye irritation.

► Short Time Exposure (STE) test using SIRC cells is an in vitro eye irritation test that assesses cytotoxicity following a one 5 min dose treatment. ► By evaluating medium control, three vehicles and three standard chemicals, high intra-laboratory reproducibility was confirmed. ► In addition, predictive capacity using 109 chemicals by comparison with GHS classification and EU classification showed the excellent correspondence with STE test data. ► Based on the results above, STE test was considered to be a promising alternative method for assessing eye irritation.