Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part C· 2016· Review
Azo dyes and human health: A review
- 986citations
- 2016year
Short summary
Azo dyes, widely used industrially, can pose health risks through reductive cleavage into potentially carcinogenic or allergenic aromatic amines, such as benzidine and p-phenylenediamine.
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Key points
- Azo dyes are extensively used in industrial applications.
- Reductive cleavage of azo dyes by microorganisms or biological systems yields aromatic amines.
- Some azo dyes are carcinogenic independently, while others become carcinogenic after cleavage (e.g., benzidine).
- Components like p-phenylenediamine are identified as contact allergens.
- Cleaved products and related aromatic amines are linked to allergies and other human health problems.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Synthetic azo dyes are widely used in industries. Gerhardt Domagk discovered that the antimicrobial effect of red azo dye Prontosil was caused by the reductively cleaved (azo reduction) product sulfanilamide. The significance of azo reduction is thus revealed. Azo reduction can be accomplished by human intestinal microflora, skin microflora, environmental microorganisms, to a lesser extent by human liver azoreductase, and by nonbiological means. Some azo dyes can be carcinogenic without being cleaved into aromatic amines. However, the carcinogenicity of many azo dyes is due to their cleaved product such as benzidine. Benzidine induces various human and animal tumors. Another azo dye component, p-phenylenediamine, is a contact allergen. Many azo dyes and their reductively cleaved products as well as chemically related aromatic amines are reported to affect human health, causing allergies and other human maladies.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part C, 2016 · DOI ↗
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Field: Analytical Chemistry
Analytical ChemistryChemistry