National Toxicology Program Issues Toxicological Profile for Silica

The US National Toxicology Program has issued a toxicological profile for crystalline and amorphous silica, a compound linked to silicosis and lung cancer.

The US National Toxicology Program has issued a 300 page toxicological profile for crystalline and amorphous silica. The document notes silica's ubiquity in the environment and use in many products, including plaster, caulk, counter tops, skin care products, and talcum powder. It further states that aside from being linked with the fibrotic lung disease silicosis, silica is also linked to lung cancer in humans, both in those with and without silicosis. Interestingly, the profile also states that a limited number of human studies pertaining to silica have linked it to human mesothelioma, although their usefulness is limited given a lack of quantitative exposure data in the subjects. A copy of the document can be found below.