Acrylamide |
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Methods for Monitoring in the Environment Methods for Monitoring Human Exposure Safeguards Against Acrylamide Exposure Absorption, Distribution and Metabolism Risk Assessment and Management Acrylamide Policy Decision Makers and Stakeholders |
Harmful Effects of Acrylamide
Human exposure to acrylamide primarily comes from dermal contact with solid monomer and inhalation of dust and vapor in the occupational setting. The public may be exposed to acrylamide through the ingestion of drinking water that is contaminated with acrylamide or the intake of acrylamide from food. Major health effects of acrylamide are skin irritation such as redness and peeling of the skin of palms and neuropathy regarding the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Acute and subacute intoxication with a large dose by ingestion water drink contaminated with acrylamide can cause severe symptoms of the central nervous system and polyneuropathy may appear later (17). Long term exposure to acrylamide produces a motor and sensory polyneuropathy that is insidious and distal in onset (12). Although severe exposure may result in permanent sequelae, affected humans recovered within several months to one year after cessation of exposure (13, 17).
1. Acute toxicity : Acrylamide is a skin and respiratory tract irritant in humans. Reported oral LD50 values are in the range of 159 mg/kg to 300 mg/kg body weight (bw) in rats (14). 2. Subchronic/Chronic Toxicity : Acrylamide is a human neurotoxicant. Adverse effects in rats administered small amounts of acrylamide include general systemic toxicity and hematological changes. Acrylamide is also a neurotoxicant to animals.
3. Carcinogenicity : Although inadequate evidence is available from human studies, several laboratory animal studies have shown that acrylamide causes a variety of tumors in rats and mice. Acrylamide has been classified by the U.S. EPA as a B2, a probable human carcinogen, by IARC as a 2B, a possible human carcinogen, and by ACGIH as an A3, confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to human.
4. Genotoxicity : Acrylamide causes chromosomal aberrations, dominant lethality, sister chromatid exchanges and unscheduled DNA synthesis in various in vitro and in vivo systems. When administered at a level of 500 ppm in the diet for 3 weeks in mice, acrylamide caused a high frequency of sister chromatid exchanges and breaks (14).
5. Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity : No information was found on the developmental/reproductive effects of acrylamide in humans. Acrylamide does not appear to cause structural developmental defects by oral administration to rats. Testicular atrophy and decreased fertility have been reported in male mice given acrylamide by mouth.
6. Neurotoxicity : Acrylamide is a neurotoxin by either oral (in animals) or inhalation exposure (in humans and in animals). Toxic effects are central and peripheral neuropathy causing drowsiness, hallucinations, distal numbness, and ataxia. Recovery is possible after cessation of exposure. EPA has derived an oral reference dose (RfD) of 0.0002 mg/kg/day for acrylamide, based on adverse nervous system effects in laboratory animals.
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