Acrylamide

CAS number 79-06-1

Description

Acrylamide is a white crystalline solid shipped either as a solid or in solution. A confirmed carcinogen. Toxic by skin absorption. Less dense than water and soluble in water. The solid is stable at room temperature, but upon melting may violently polymerize.

Uses

Acrylamide is used in many manufacturing processes, and also used as an important chemical in sewage and waste treatment, soil conditioning agents, grout, ore processing, paper and textile industries, and in the manufacture of dyes, adhesives, and permanent press fabrics.

Usual indoor air sources are through tobacco smoke and food preparation during high-temperature cooking processes, such as frying, roasting, and baking. Acrylamide levels in food vary widely depending on the manufacturer, the cooking time, and the method and temperature of the cooking process.

Why it can be problematic for human and animal health

Exposure to acrylamide caused cancer in animals in studies where animals were exposed to acrylamide at very high doses. In 2010, the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) concluded that acrylamide is a human health concern, and suggested additional long-term studies. FDA experts participated in the evaluation and provided data from new research studies on acrylamide risk.

Acrylamide is shown in scientific literature as being associated with the following chronic health impacts:

Shown to be a carcinogen
Respiratory distress, sore throat and coughing
Skin contact can lead to irritation, numbness, tingling, sweating
Acrylamide may harm the unborn child, and children appear in studies to be more vulnerable than adults to the dangers of acrylamide from high temperature cooking.
Very long-term effects include tiredness, memory impairment, muscle weakness
It may damage the male testes and reduce male fertility

Acute exposure of humans to acrylamide by inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact is associated with neurotoxicity, disorientation, confusion and burning, ulceration, sore throat.

Please note any adverse health effects that you may encounter in exposure to a chemical depend on several factors, including the amount to which you are exposed (dose), the way you are exposed, the duration of exposure, the form of the chemical and if you were exposed to any other chemicals.