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Carbon black (Uncertified D&C Black No. 2)
Score:
Data: Robust
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Use restrictions (high), Neurotoxicity (low), Endocrine disruption (low), Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), and Contamination concerns (high)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| eye liner | 10 products |
| mascara | 2 products |
| eye shadow | 2 products |
| mask | 2 products |
| lip liner | 2 products |
| eyelash glue | 1 products |
Contamination concerns
Use restrictions
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | CTFA International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook |
| Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | FDA Color Additive Status |
| Violation of government restrictions - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Color additive not approved by FDA for cosmetics used around eyes | FDA Color Additive Status |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| SCCS reports that inhalation of this substance impacted lung function in healthy humans. | European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) 2015. Opinion on Carbon Black (nano-form). |
| Classified as a high human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. Flagged for suspected persistence. | Environment Canada 2015. Domestic Substance List. Appears as: listid: ECDSL-04544; Chemical_Name: 2,7-Naphthalenedisulfonic acid, 6-amino-4-hydroxy-3-[[7-sulfo- 4-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-1-naphthalenyl]azo]-, tetrasodium salt; ; CAS: 2118-39-0 |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| SCCS concludes this substance accumulates in the lungs of humans. | European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) 2015. Opinion on Carbon Black (nano-form). |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Cancer
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Possible human carcinogen | California EPA Proposition 65 |
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | NIOSH Occupational Carcinogens |
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC Monographs Programme on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Lists of Group 1, 2a, and 2b substances can be obtained. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php; Vol 65, 93 ;in prep. |
| SCCS concludes this substance may be genotoxic based on in vivo and in vitro evidence. | European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) 2015. Opinion on Carbon Black (nano-form). |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| SCCS concludes this substance impacts the immune system when inhaled. | European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) 2015. Opinion on Carbon Black (nano-form). |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| SCCS reports that this substance may be toxic to reproduction/development when inhaled. | European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) 2015. Opinion on Carbon Black (nano-form). |
Neurotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| A peer-reviewed study reports that maternal inhalation of this substance led to neurodevelopmental effects in offspring. | Masakazu Umezawa, Atsuto Onoda, Irina Korshunova, Alexander C Ø Jensen, Ismo K. Koponen, Keld A. Jensen, Konstantin Khodosevich, Ulla Vogel & Karin S. Hougaard. 2018. Maternal inhalation of carbon black nanoparticles induces neurodevelopmental changes in mouse offspring. Particle and fibre toxicology 15(1), 36. |
Endocrine disruption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| A peer-reviewed article repors this substance impacted hormone production in vitro. | Violaine Simon, Charlotte Avet, Valérie Grange-Messent, Richard Wargnier, Chantal Denoyelle, Alice Pierre, Julien Dairou, Jean-Marie Dupret & Joëlle Cohen-Tannoudji 2017. Carbon Black Nanoparticles Inhibit Aromatase Expression and Estradiol Secretion in Human Granulosa Cells Through the ERK1/2 Pathway. Endocrinology 158(10), 3200-3211. |
Informational
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Color additive not approved by FDA for use in food | FDA Color Additive Status |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| 994358 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Data Sources
- CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association). 2006. International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook, 11th Edition. Color Additive Information. Washington, DC.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Color Additive Status List. September 2006.
- European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) 2015. Opinion on Carbon Black (nano-form).
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- Environment Canada 2015. Domestic Substance List. Appears as: listid: ECDSL-04544; Chemical_Name: 2,7-Naphthalenedisulfonic acid, 6-amino-4-hydroxy-3-[[7-sulfo- 4-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-1-naphthalenyl]azo]-, tetrasodium salt; ; CAS: 2118-39-0
- California EPA (California Environmental Protection Agency). 9/2008. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.
- NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). 2006. NIOSH Carcinogens List (Potential occupational carcinogens). http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npotocca.html.
- World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC Monographs Programme on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Lists of Group 1, 2a, and 2b substances can be obtained. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php; Vol 65, 93 ;in prep.
- Masakazu Umezawa, Atsuto Onoda, Irina Korshunova, Alexander C Ø Jensen, Ismo K. Koponen, Keld A. Jensen, Konstantin Khodosevich, Ulla Vogel & Karin S. Hougaard. 2018. Maternal inhalation of carbon black nanoparticles induces neurodevelopmental changes in mouse offspring. Particle and fibre toxicology 15(1), 36.
- Violaine Simon, Charlotte Avet, Valérie Grange-Messent, Richard Wargnier, Chantal Denoyelle, Alice Pierre, Julien Dairou, Jean-Marie Dupret & Joëlle Cohen-Tannoudji 2017. Carbon Black Nanoparticles Inhibit Aromatase Expression and Estradiol Secretion in Human Granulosa Cells Through the ERK1/2 Pathway. Endocrinology 158(10), 3200-3211.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
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