Dust Almanac

Cabreuva

Myrocarpus fastigiatus · Fabaceae · hardwood

Also known as: cabreúva, oleo pardo

Region: South America (mainly Brazil)

Planed board of cabreuva with reddish to purplish-brown heartwood, darker streaks, and a thin band of pale sapwood.

Cabreuva is a hard, heavy, aromatic South American hardwood with reddish to purplish-brown heartwood. In Europe it has mainly been used for parquet and other flooring.

Health hazards

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    A parquet floor layer had a delayed asthma attack when challenged with cabreuva dust in hospital, while a control challenge with fir dust was negative. A later case report describes rhinitis and asthma from the same wood.12

    Effects
    asthma, rhinitis
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Whole-body (systemic) effects

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    In the same patient, the hospital challenge with cabreuva dust also caused fever, vomiting, and muscle aches. Such whole-body reactions to wood dust appear to be rare.1

    Effects
    fever, vomiting, muscle pain, raised white blood cell count
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

    Evidence: Reported

    An inflammatory lung reaction (allergic alveolitis) has been reported after exposure to cabreuva dust. How the diagnosis was confirmed could not be checked.3

    Effects
    extrinsic allergic alveolitis
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    All wood dust, including cabreuva, is classified by IARC as carcinogenic to humans, mainly linked to cancers of the nose and sinuses after long-term exposure.4

    Effects
    nasal and sinus cancer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

Not finding a hazard listed here does not mean this wood is safe. All wood dust is hazardous; see how to protect yourself.

Exposure limits

Workplace exposure limits (8-hour average, mg/m³)
BodyLimitNotes
ACGIH TLV1 mg/m³ (inhalable) source
EU binding limit (hardwood)2 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
UK WEL (hardwood)3 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
NIOSH REL1 mg/m³Recommended limit for all wood dust

Compare limits across agencies.

Cancer classifications

Sources

  1. Innocenti A, Romeo R, Mariano A. Asthma and systemic toxic reaction due to cabreuva (Myrocarpus fastigiatus Fr. All.) wood dust. Med Lav. 1991;82(5):446-450. Link
  2. Pala G, Pignatti P, Perfetti L, Avanzini MA, Calcagno G, Preziosi D, Moscato G. Occupational rhinitis and asthma due to cabreuva wood dust. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010;104(3):268-269. Link
  3. Baur X, Gahnz G, Chen Z. Extrinsic allergic alveolitis caused by cabreuva wood dust. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000;106(4):780-781. Link
  4. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Wood Dust and Formaldehyde. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 62. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1995. Link
  5. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .