Jatoba
Hymenaea courbaril · Fabaceae · hardwood
Also known as: Brazilian cherry, courbaril, West Indian locust
Region: Central and South America, Caribbean
Jatoba is a very hard, heavy tropical hardwood whose salmon to reddish-brown heartwood darkens markedly with light exposure. It is widely sold as 'Brazilian cherry' flooring and is also used for furniture, stair parts, and tool handles.
Health hazards
-
Asthma / respiratory allergy
Evidence: Reported
Occupational asthma has been reported in a woodworker exposed to jatoba dust, in a report that also covered tali wood. Details of how the diagnosis was confirmed could not be checked.1
- Effects
- asthma
- Exposure route
- inhalation
- From
- dust
-
Cancer
Evidence: Applies to all wood dust
All wood dust, including jatoba, is classified by IARC as carcinogenic to humans, mainly linked to cancers of the nose and sinuses after long-term exposure.2
- 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
| Body | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ACGIH TLV | 1 mg/m³ (inhalable) | source |
| EU binding limit (hardwood) | 2 mg/m³ | Applies to all hardwood dust |
| UK WEL (hardwood) | 3 mg/m³ | Applies to all hardwood dust |
| NIOSH REL | 1 mg/m³ | Recommended limit for all wood dust |
Cancer classifications
- ACGIH: A4 source
Sources
- Quirce S, Parra A, Anton E, Fernandez-Nieto M, Jerez J, Sastre J. Occupational asthma caused by tali and jatoba wood dusts. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004;113(2):361-363. Link
- 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
- US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link
Last reviewed .