Chemicals and types of studies under consideration are listed below. The National Cancer Institute nominated allyl bromide based on widespread use, its persistence as an environmental pollutant and the lack of toxicology data. There is potential for human exposure both from production and manufacturer as well as during its end use. Possible routes of human exposure include inhalation, oral and dermal routes. Allyl bromide is one of a group of organohalogen compounds identified in waste water or drinking water.
Plans are underway to develop protocols for toxicity and carcinogenicity studies.
It is used in styrene-butadiene rubber to improve the swelling shrinkage, and extrusion properties of the product. In addition, DVB is used as a cross-linking monomer for copolymerization with styrene, and acrylic or methacrylic acid to produce ion exchange resins. DVB was nominated to the NTP by the National Cancer Institute for carcinogenicity testing based upon its structural relationship to styrene and benzene, and the potential for significant human exposure. The major route of potential human exposure in the industrial setting is considered to be inhalation during manufacturing processes involving about 35,000 workers. Commercial DVB generally consists of a mixture of the meta and para isomers of DVB and ethylvinylbenzene.