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Cancer risk assessment of toxaphene

Surasak Buranatrevedh1

  • 1Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Klongluang, Pathumthani, Thailand.

Industrial Health
|August 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This study assessed the cancer risk of the banned insecticide toxaphene using a four-step risk assessment framework. Findings indicate potential carcinogenic risks to humans from average exposure levels.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Chemical Risk Assessment
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Toxaphene was a widely used insecticide globally until its ban in 1982.
  • Previous studies suggest toxaphene exposure is linked to various cancers in animal models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the potential human cancer risk associated with toxaphene exposure.
  • To apply the four-step risk assessment framework developed by the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (NAS/NRC).

Main Methods:

  • Hazard identification of toxaphene's carcinogenic potential.
  • Dose-response assessment to determine the slope factor.
  • Exposure assessment considering various environmental pathways (air, water, soil, fish).
  • Risk characterization to quantify cancer risk.

Main Results:

  • Toxaphene exposure increased neoplasms in the liver and uterus of mice.
  • Increased neoplasms in endocrine organs, thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, mammary, and reproductive systems were observed in rats.
  • The calculated slope factor for toxaphene is 0.8557 (mg/kg/day)(-1).
  • Lifetime Average Daily Doses (LADD) varied across exposure routes, with fish posing the highest.
  • The estimated cancer risk for average exposure to toxaphene is 7.42 x 10(-5).

Conclusions:

  • Toxaphene exhibits carcinogenic potential in animal studies.
  • The quantitative risk assessment suggests a potential carcinogenic risk to humans from environmental exposure to toxaphene.

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