In rats orally exposed to acrylamide, significantly increased incidences of tumors at multiple sites have been observed. These include mammary tumors, central nervous system tumors, thyroid follicular tumors, and uterine adenocarcinoma in female rats and thyroid follicular tumors and scrotal mesothelioma in males. EPA considers both of these studies to be inadequate to determine cancer risk due to the small populations studied and incomplete exposure data. EPA uses mathematical models, based on human and animal studies, to estimate the probability of a person developing cancer from breathing air containing a specified concentration of a chemical. Acrylamide occurs as a white, crystalline solid or flake-like crystals and is highly soluble in water.
Acrylamide is odorless.
Uses Acrylamide is used as a reactive monomer and intermediate in the production of organic chemicals and polymers or copolymers. Acrylamide is also used as a flocculent for sewage and waste treatment, soil conditioning agents, ore processing, paper and textile industries, and in the manufacture of dyes, adhesives, and permanent press fabrics. References U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Toxicology Information Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD. 1993. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.