Silicon carbide (fibre dust) (including whiskers)

MAK Value Documentation, addendum – Translation of the German version from 2020

  Andrea Hartwig¹ (Chair of the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
  MAK Commission<sup>2

1</sup> Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
² Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany

Abstract

The German Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area (MAK Commission) summarized and re-evaluated the data for silicon carbide fibres [409-21-2] considering all toxicological end points. Silicon carbide fibres induce mesotheliomas and lung tumours in rats and hamsters. These studies provide evidence for the carcinogenic potential of silicon carbide fibres. As the epidemiological studies have methodological shortcomings such as an inadequate characterisation of exposure and consideration of confounders, a cancer risk for humans associated with exposure to silicon carbide fibres cannot be derived. Therefore, silicon carbide fibres remain classified in Carcinogen Category 2. Silicon carbide fibres are not regarded as germ cell mutagens. Silicon carbide fibres are not taken up via the skin in toxicologically relevant amounts. There are no studies of sensitization.

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