Dust Almanac

Ipe

Handroanthus spp. · Bignoniaceae · hardwood

Also known as: ipê, lapacho, bethabara, Brazilian walnut (decking trade name), pau d'arco

Region: Central and South America

Planed board of ipe with dense olive-brown to reddish-brown heartwood, faint ribbon striping, and a thin edge of pale sapwood.

Ipe is an extremely hard, dense, and durable timber from several Handroanthus species (formerly placed in Tabebuia), mainly H. serratifolius and H. impetiginosus. It is best known for outdoor decking, boardwalks, and docks, and is also used for flooring and turning. Its hardness and fine dust make it hard on tools and dusty to machine.

Health hazards

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    A worker developed occupational asthma from ipe dust, confirmed when a controlled bronchial challenge with the dust triggered a delayed asthma attack. A separate report describes asthma from bethabara, a trade name for ipe.12

    Effects
    asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Skin allergy

    Evidence: Reported

    A construction worker developed recurring patches of skin inflammation and darkening linked to handling ipe. Ipe contains naphthoquinones, a class of compounds known to sensitize skin.31

    Effects
    fixed skin eruption, dermatitis
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust, heartwood

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    All wood dust, including ipe, 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

Known compounds

  • naphthoquinones: skin sensitizers (class) source

Ipe is sold under many names and from several Handroanthus species; the asthma evidence comes from wood identified only as ipe or bethabara (Tabebuia spp.), so assume any species sold as ipe can act the same way.

Sources

  1. Algranti E, Mendonca EM, Ali SA, Kokron CM, Raile V. Occupational asthma caused by Ipe (Tabebuia spp) dust. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2005;15(1):81-83. Link
  2. Yacoub MR, Lemiere C, Labrecque M, Malo JL. Occupational asthma due to bethabara wood dust. Allergy. 2005;60(12):1544-1545. Link
  3. Landry Q, Bourrain JL, Raison-Peyron N, Dereure O, Du-Thanh A. Occupational fixed drug eruption with ipe wood. Contact Dermatitis. 2018;79(3):186-188. 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 .