This website provides information on carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and chemicals that have a high level of acute toxicity. Addition resources on the health effects of chemicals also are provided.
CARCINOGEN
Below is the definition the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides for carcinogen in its Use of Hazardous Chemical’s in the Laboratory Standard. Also provided are the web links to the agencies OSHA references for carcinogens.
OSHA Definition: Select carcinogen means any substance that meets one of the following criteria:
(i) It is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen; or
(ii) It is listed under the category, "known to be carcinogens," in the Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program (NTP)(latest edition); or
(iii) It is listed under Group 1 ("carcinogenic to humans") by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs (IARC)(latest editions); or
(iv) It is listed in either Group 2A or 2B by IARC or under the category "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens" by NTP, and causes statistically significant tumor incidence in experimental animals in accordance with any of the following criteria:
(A) After inhalation exposure of 6-7 hours per day, 5 days per week, for a significant portion of a lifetime to dosages of less than 10 mg/m(3);
(B) After repeated skin application of less than 300 (mg/kg of body weight) per week; or
(C) After oral dosages of less than 50 mg/kg of body weight per day.
Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program
Know to be Human Carcinogens: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/pubhealth/roc/index.html
Reasonable Anticipated Human Carcinogens: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/pubhealth/roc/index.html
International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs for Carcinogens
Group 1: Carcinogenic to humans
Group 2A: Probably carcinogenic to humans
Group 2B: Possibly carcinogenic to humans:
http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/PDFs/index.php
REPRODUCTIVE TOXINS
Below is the definition OSHA provides for reproductive toxin in its Use of Hazardous Chemicals in the Laboratory Standard.
OSHA Definition: Reproductive toxin means chemicals that affect the reproductive capabilities including chromosomal damage (mutations) and effects on fetuses (teratogenesis).
Examples include:
Arsenic and certain arsenic compounds
Benzene
5-Bromo-2-Deoxyuridine (BrdU)
Cadmium and certain cadmium compounds
Carbon disulfide
Ethylene glycol monomethyl and ethyl ethers
Ethylene oxide
Lead compounds
Mercury compounds
Nitrous Oxide
Toluene
Vinyl chloride
HIGH LEVEL OF ACUTE TOXICITY
Below are the definition and list of high level of acute toxicity provided in the 2011 printing of Prudent Practices in the Laboratory and a list of examples they provide.
Compounds with a high level of acute toxicity — Table 1 lists respective LD50 and LC50 levels for these compounds.
|
High Level of Acute Toxicity | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Oral LD50 (Rats, per kg) |
Skin Contact LD50 (Rabbits, per kg) |
Inhalation LC50 (Rats, ppm for 1 hour) |
Inhalation LC50 (Rats, mg/m3 for 1 hour) |
|
< 50 mg |
< 200 mg |
< 200 |
< 2000 |
Examples include:
Acrolein
Arsine
Chlorine
Diazomethane
Diborane (gas)
Dimethyl Mercury
Hydrogen cyanide
Hydrogen fluoride
Methyl fluorosulfonate
Nickel carbonyl
Nitrogen dioxide
Osmium tetroxide
Ozone
Phosgene
Sodium azide
Sodium cyanide (and other cyanide salts)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information on the hazardous properties of chemicals can be found on their Material Safety Data Sheet(s) or at the following website:
TOXNET: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/