The biology of talc.

Abstract

-229. The biology of talc. Data are presented on the effects on health of talc dusts from exposure in industry and use of talc-containing health products. The mineralogy of talc and the composition of cosmetic and industrial grade talc dusts are described. Studies in animals are reviewed, and epidemiological data are considered in relation to exposures that occur during industrial and consumer uses of talc dusts. Hamsters exposed to 8 mg/m3 of respirable cosmetic grade talc dust for up to 150 minutes a day for 300 consecutive days showed no difference in incidence or nature of pathological lesions from those observed in a group of untreated animals. A retrospective study of the causes of death of 227 talc mine millers exposed to cosmetic grade talc at the threshold limit value for talc (20 million parts per cubic foot) for an average of 15 8 years showed that the causes of death were no different from those in a control cohort not exposed to talc dust. The available data indicate that talc dust exposure in the modern mining of cosmetic grade talc does not appear to be injurious to health. The significantly lower dust exposure in the normal use of cosmetic grade talc dusts in talc-containing health and cosmetic products confirms that their use is not a hazard to health.Increasing interest in the impact of environmental influences on health has in recent years focused attention on the significance of pollutants and prompted a reappraisal of environmental mineral dusts that have had extensive long-term use, but on which there is a paucity of correlated scientific data by which to

Safety of consumer cosmetic talc products

“…These data and those obtained in other animal studies have failed to produce any evidence that cosmetic talc is a carcinogen (Hildick-Smith, 1976a).…”

“…Prospective and retrospective epidemiological studies of employees milling and mining cosmetic grade talc have shown no difference in the incidence of pulmonary fibrotic disease or cancer between the mine employees and a control unexposed cohort, even where a group of talc millers was exposed to approximately 7,800 times as much talc dust in 1 wk as a consumer would be exposed to in 1 wk (Hildick-Smith, 1976a, 1976b.…”

“…In one study, hamsters were exposed to cosmetic grade talc dust at a weekly exposure level approximately 1,700 times the amount of talc dust to which an infant would be exposed in a week (Hildick-Smith, 1976a).…”

“…The biological activity of cosmetic grade talc dust has been evaluated in recent years in controlled animal dust exposure studies and epidemiological studies conducted in mine employees exposed to cosmetic grade talc dust (Hildick-Smith, 1976a).…”

Talc (without asbestos fibres) [MAK Value Documentation, 1991]

“…It is doubtful whether the products tested always consisted mainly of the mineral talc. The earliest report of a case of talc pneumoconiosis is from the year 1896 [16,17]. Since then talcosis has become established as a diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, similar to asbestosis and frequently with thickening of the pleura.…”