| Agent Name |
Talc (containing no asbestos) |
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| CAS Number |
14807-96-6 |
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| Formula |
H2-O3-Si. 3/4Mg |
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| Major Category |
Mineral Dusts |
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| Synonyms |
Hydrous magnesium silicate; Steatite talc; [NIOSH] |
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| Category |
Other Mineral Dusts |
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| Description |
Odorless, white powder; Containing no asbestos and less than 1% quartz; [NIOSH] |
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| Sources/Uses |
Used as a paint additive and rubber lubricant; [Levy, p. 565] Crystalline silica not bound to other minerals is "free" silica. Silicates are minerals in which silicon and oxygen are combined with other elements. [Rom, p. 364] |
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| Comments |
Interstitial fibrosis can develop in workers heavily exposed to talc, but it is not yet clear how much is due to talc versus talc contaminants. [Harber, p. 349] |
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| Reference Link |
Effects of talc dust on respiratory health: result...[Occup Environ Med. 2008] - PubMed Result |
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| Exposure Assessment |
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| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
No |
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| TLV (ACGIH) |
2 mg/m3, respirable fraction |
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| PEL (OSHA) | 20 mppcf, containing < 1% quartz |
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| IDLH (NIOSH) |
1000 mg/m3 |
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| Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs |
Basis for revised IDLH: The available toxicological data contain no evidence that an acute exposure to a high concentration of talc would impede escape or cause any irreversible health effects within 30 minutes. However, the revised IDLH for talc is 1,000 mg/m3 based on being 500 times the NIOSH REL of 2 mg/m3 (500 is an assigned protection factor for respirators and was used arbitrarily during the Standards Completion Program for deciding when the "most protective" respirators should be used for particulates). |
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| Explanatory Notes |
See 2008 Notice of Intended Changes. [ACGIH] |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Fibrogenic |
Yes |
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| IARC Carcinogen |
Not Classifiable |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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| Health Studies |
Human Health Effects from Hazardous Substances Data Bank: TALC
|
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