Glycerol is one of the most benign organic liquids known to man. It is hype-allergenic, non-carcinigeic, non tertogenic and non-mutagenic. It is metabolized quite easily by a process called beta-oxidation. This process results in the production of CO2 and H2O and is a quite normal, common, and natural catabolic process.
The following is a few excerpts from a study called SIDS initial assessment profile of Glycerol Citation:
• Glycerol is of low toxicity when ingested, inhaled, or in contact with skin
• The NOACE for local irritant effects to the upper respiratory tracts is 165 mg/m3
• Glycerol is of a low order of acute oral and dermal toxicity with LD50 values in excess of 4000 mg/kw bw.
• Glycerol has low potential to irritate the skin and the eye
• Glycerol is not a skin sensitizer
• Glycerol does not induce gene mutations in bacterial strains, chromosomal effects in mammalian cells or primary DNA damage in vitro
• Overall, glycerol is not considered to possess genotoxic potential
• No effects on fertility and reproductive performance were observed
• No further work is indicated by this study, because of the low hazard potential of this substance