Dust Almanac

Limba

Terminalia superba · Combretaceae · hardwood

Also known as: afara, korina, black limba, white limba, frake

Region: West and Central Africa

Planed board of limba with pale yellowish-brown wood crossed by a few irregular dark streaks.

A light to medium-weight hardwood, pale yellowish-brown, with some logs showing dark grey-brown streaks sold as black limba. Used for furniture, frames, drawer sides, veneer, plywood, and electric guitar bodies.

Health hazards

  • Respiratory irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    HSE lists reduced lung function and bleeding from the nose and gums among reported effects of limba dust.1

    Effects
    decrease in lung function, nose bleeds, gum bleeding
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Skin irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    HSE lists nettle rash (itchy, raised welts) from contact with limba.1

    Effects
    nettle rash
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust

  • Splinter infection

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    HSE notes that limba splinter wounds can turn septic.1

    Effects
    septic splinters
    Exposure route
    splinter

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Reported

    A review of wood allergy lists limba as a reported cause of occupational asthma, based on German case reports that could not be checked for this page.2

    Effects
    asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    IARC classifies all wood dust as carcinogenic to humans, chiefly through cancers of the nose and sinuses. This applies to limba dust as it does to any other wood.3

    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. Health and Safety Executive. Toxic woods. Woodworking Information Sheet No 30 (Revision 1), WIS30(rev1). HSE; first published 11/2012. Withdrawn from hse.gov.uk (404 since c. Jan 2020); archived copy cited. Link
  2. Schlünssen V, Sigsgaard T, Raulf-Heimsoth M, Kespohl S. Workplace exposure to wood dust and the prevalence of wood-specific sensitization. Allergol Select. 2018;2(1):101-110. Link
  3. 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
  4. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .