Chlorophene is a halogenated phenolic compound that functions as a biocide and preservative in cosmetics. In Europe, the maximum authorized concentration allowed for Chlorophene is 0.2%. The glucuronic acid conjugate, the sulfate ester conjugate, and two other minor metabolites of Chlorophene were profiled in rat urine during pharmacokinetic tests. Chlorophene is incompletely absorbed through rat skin. In several anumal species these chemicals exhibited low oral toxicity. Some evidence of toxicity was found in short-term oral toxicity studies in mice and rats with nephropathy as the principal finding. Rats and mice dosed with Chlorophene for 2 years had a dose-related and sex-related increase in the severity of nephropathy. In another set of animal tests Chlorophene was found to be an ocular irritant. There was no readily available inhalation profile for Chlorophene. Chlorophene was severely irritating to rabbits in most dermal irritation studies. Chlorophene was found to be mutagenic in four in-vitro mammalian test systems. However, neoplasms were not observed in rats treated with Chlorophene for 2 years but, in mice treated similarly a significant incidence of neoplasms was observed. A 1-year National Toxicology Program (NTP) study concluded that Chlorophene was a cutaneous irritant and a weak skin tumor promoter but had no activity as an initiator or complete carcinogen. Some reactions to Chlorophene occurred in some, but not all, clinical dermal sensitization tests.