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Acrolein, Crotonaldehyde, and Arecoline
IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans, No. 128
IARC Working Group on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans.
This volume of the IARC Monographs provides evaluations of the carcinogenicity of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and arecoline.
Acrolein is a High Production Volume chemical used to manufacture numerous chemical products, and as a herbicide in recirculating water systems. Found in emissions from combustion of fuels, wood, and plastics, and in ambient air pollution and electronic cigarette vapour, acrolein is also generated in kitchens during high-temperature roasting and deep-fat frying. Crotonaldehyde is a High Production Volume chemical that is widely used for synthesizing chemical agents used in the pharmaceutical, rubber, chemical, and leather industries, as well as in food production and agriculture. Crotonaldehyde is also formed during combustion of vehicle fuels and wood, and in thermal treatment of food, and is also found in cooking fires, ambient air pollution, electronic cigarette vapour, and some foods and heated cooking oils. Tobacco smoke is a major source of exposure to crotonaldehyde and acrolein in the general population. Occupational exposures may occur among firefighters, coke-oven workers, and workers in aldehyde manufacture, garages, and toll booths. Both acrolein and crotonaldehyde are also formed endogenously.
Arecoline is the primary active ingredient of the areca nut, which is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). At least 10% of the global population, primarily in south-eastern Asia, chews areca nut for its mild psychoactive effects. Arecoline has been used medicinally as an anthelmintic and is still applied in the form of areca-nut preparations in traditional Chinese and Ayurveda medicines.
An IARC Monographs Working Group reviewed evidence from cancer bioassays in experimental animals and mechanistic studies to assess the carcinogenic hazard to humans of exposure to these agents and concluded that:
• Acrolein is probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A)
• Crotonaldehyde and arecoline are possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).
Contents
- Note to the Reader
- List of Participants
- Preamble
- General Remarks
- Acrolein
- Crotonaldehyde
- Arecoline
- List of Abbreviations
- ANNEX 1. Supplementary material for Acrolein, Section 1, Exposure Characterization
- ANNEX 2. Supplementary material for Crotonaldehyde, Section 1, Exposure Characterization
- Summary of Final Evaluations
This publication represents the views and expert opinions of an IARC Working Group on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans, which met remotely, 29 October – 13 November 2020.
Lyon, France – 2021
IARC Monographs
In 1969, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) initiated a programme on the evaluation of the carcinogenic hazard of chemicals to humans, involving the production of critically evaluated monographs on individual chemicals. The programme was subsequently expanded to include evaluations of carcinogenic hazards associated with exposures to complex mixtures, lifestyle factors and biological and physical agents, as well as those in specific occupations. The objective of the programme is to elaborate and publish in the form of monographs critical reviews of data on carcinogenicity for agents to which humans are known to be exposed and on specific exposure situations; to evaluate these data in terms of cancer hazard to humans with the help of international working groups of experts in carcinogenesis and related fields; and to identify gaps in evidence. The lists of IARC evaluations are regularly updated and are available on the internet at https://monographs.iarc.who.int/.
This programme has been supported since 1982 by Cooperative Agreement U01 CA33193 with the United States National Cancer Institute, Department of Health and Human Services. Additional support has been provided since 1986 by the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion, initially by the Unit of Health, Safety and Hygiene at Work, and since 2014 by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation "EaSI" (for further information please consult: https://ec.europa.eu/social/easi). Support has also been provided since 1992 by the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services. The contents of this volume are solely the responsibility of the Working Group and do not necessarily represent the official views of the United States National Cancer Institute, the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or the European Commission.
- Published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France
- ©International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2021
- On-line publication, November 2021 (updated May 2022)
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Corrigenda to Volume 128. (PDF, 411K)
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IARC Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Names: IARC Working Group on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans.
Title: Acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and arecoline.
Description: Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2021. | Series: IARC monographs on the identification of carcinogenic hazards to humans, ISSN 1017-1606; v. 128. | This publication represents the views and expert opinions of an IARC Working Group on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans, which met remotely, 29 October–13 November 2020. | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: ISBN 9789283201687 (pbk.) | ISBN 9789283201953 (ebook)
Subjects: MESH: Carcinogens. | Neoplasms--chemically induced. | Acrolein--adverse effects. | Aldehydes--adverse effects. | Arecoline--adverse effects. | Risk Factors.
Classification: NLM W1
About the cover: A smoker on a bridge above a busy road, Japan. Sources of acrolein and crotonaldehyde include tobacco smoke and combustion of vehicle fuel.
Source: © OkinawaPottery/iStockPhoto
How to cite: IARC (2021). Acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and arecoline. IARC Monogr Identif Carcinog Hazards Hum, 128:1–335.
- NLM CatalogRelated NLM Catalog Entries
- Acrolein, Crotonaldehyde, and ArecolineAcrolein, Crotonaldehyde, and Arecoline
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