IPCS. International Programme on Chemical Safety

A concise assessment of the risks to human health and the environment posed by 3 3 -dichlorobenzidine, a chemical used primarily as an intermediate in the manufacture of pigments for printing inks, textiles, paints, and plastics. The document is part of a new series of brief reports aimed at the characterization of hazards and dose-response for exposure to selected industrial chemicals. With this goal in mind, documents in the series focus on studies and findings considered critical for risk characterization. Several properties of 3 3 -dichlorobenzidine, including its relatively low volatility, very short persistence, and low concentrations in the atmosphere support the conclusion that the chemical will not contribute to the greenhouse effect depletion of the ozone layer or the formation of ground-level ozone. The assessment of toxic effects in experimental animals found sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in several species, and substantial evidence of genotoxicity. The very limited epidemiological studies were considered inadequate to access the chemical's carcinogenicity to humans."