home edit2 whole TSD November 2002 PDF format - OEHHA

ACRYLAMIDE
CAS No: 79-06-1
I. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES (From HSDB, 1994)
Molecular weight 71.08
Boiling point
125°C at 25 mm Hg
Melting point 84.5
Vapor pressure 0.007 mm Hg at 25°C
Air concentration conversion 1 ppm = 2.91 mg/m 3
II.
HEALTH ASSESSMENT VALUES
Unit Risk Factor: 1.3 E-3 (µg/m 3 ) -1
Slope Factor: 4.5 E+0 (mg/kg-day) -1
[Calculated by US EPA/IRIS (1988, 1993) from female Fischer 344 rat tumor data (central
nervous system, mammary and thyroid glands, uterus, oral cavity) (Johnson et al., 1986) using a
linearized multistage procedure, extra risk; adopted by CDHS/RCHAS (1990).]
III.
CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS
Human Studies
US EPA (1993) reviewed a study of cancer mortality in workers exposed to acrylamide by Collins
(1984). Data from a long duration exposure group (10 individuals) and a short duration/intermittent
exposure group (52 individuals) was analyzed using a standardized proportional mortality ratio (SPMR)
procedure. No excess mortality for all types of cancer combined was noted in either group. Mortality
from lung and central nervous system cancer appeared to be slightly elevated. However, the SPMRs
were not significantly different from expected values, due to small group size. US EPA (1993) also
noted additional study limitations including underrepresentation of the potential at-risk worker
population, incomplete cause of death ascertainment, and incomplete exposure data.
Sobel et al. (1986) studied the mortality experience of 371 workers (365 white males, 6 white females)
employed in acrylamide monomer production and polymerization operations at the Michigan Division of
the Dow Chemical Company from 1955 through 1979. Vital status followup was performed from the
date of the first potential exposure to December 31, 1982. Mortality comparisons were made between
the cohort and United States white male mortality rates; comparisons were made with a subcohort of
workers previously exposed to organic dyes both included and excluded. Slight excesses of mortality
from all cancers (11 observed/7.9 expected), digestive tract cancer (4 observed/1.9 expected) and
respiratory tract cancer (4 observed/2.9 expected) were observed in the total cohort; these excesses
were not observed when the organic dye exposure subcohort was excluded. The authors concluded
that the study did not support a relationship between acrylamide exposure and general or specific
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