The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has recently published Volume 111 of the IARC Monographs titled "Some Nanomaterials and Some Fibres!". This volume of the IARC Monographs provides an assessment of the carcinogenicity of fluoro-edenite fibrous amphibole, silicon carbide fibres and whiskers, and carbon nanotubes, including single-walled and multi-walled types.

Fluoro-edenite fibrous amphiboles:
The Working Group relied mainly on epidemiological studies to evaluate the carcinogenic hazard to humans exposed to fluoro-edenite fibrous amphibole, an environmental contaminant that was reported to cause mesothelioma in the regional population of Biancavilla, Sicily, Italy.

Silicon carbide fibres:
Silicon carbide fibres are by-products of the manufacture of silicon carbide particles by the Acheson process; silicon carbide whiskers are produced by other processes. The evaluations of the fibres and of the occupational exposures associated with the Acheson process were mainly based on epidemiological studies, whereas the assessment of the whiskers – in the absence of epidemiological data – was based on carcinogenicity bioassays and consideration of their physical properties.

SWCNTS & MWCNTs:
In view of the absence of epidemiological studies on carbon nanotubes and the limited information available from mechanistic data, the evaluations of single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes relied essentially on carcinogenicity bioassays.

• Read more about IARC publications online via http://publications.iarc.fr/Book-And-Report-Series/Iarc-Monographs-On-The-Evaluation-Of-Carcinogenic-Risks-To-Humans

Original Publication

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (May 19th 2017). Some Nanomaterials and Some Fibres, IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Volume 111. ISBN 978-92-832-0177-9. (PDF, 7.5 MB)