Attapulgite

Synonyms

Palygorskite; 200U/P-Rvm; Actapulgite; Activated attapulgite; Attaclay; Attaclay X 250; Attacote; Attagel; Attagel 150; Attagel 40; Attagel 50; Attapulgite; Attapulgite, activated; Attapulgus clay; Attasorb; Clay, attapulgite; Diluex; Min-U-Gel 200; Min-U-Gel 400; Min-U-Gel FG; Palygorscite; Palygorskit; Palygorskit [German]; Palygorskite; Palygorskite ((Mg(Al0.5-1Fe0-0.5))Si4(OH)O10.4H2O); Permagel; Pharmasorb-colloidal; RVM-FG; Rheaban; X 250; Zeogel; [ChemIDplus]

Category

Other Mineral Dusts

Description

Gray to yellow solid; [HSDB] Gray to red-brown odorless solid; Insoluble in water; [MSDSonline]

Sources/Uses

Used as a carrier for fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and catalysts; Also used as a additive to oil-well drilling mud, a floor sweeping compound, a filler in cosmetics and rubber, an absorbent in pet litter, a filtering medium, an antidiarrheal drug, and a veterinary medication in calf scour boluses; [HSDB]

Comments

"Lungs may be affected by repeated or prolonged exposure to fibres, resulting in fibrosis." [ICSC] A study of 2,302 miners millers exposed to attapulgite clay dust for at least one month in the period from 1940 to 1975 found a slight excess of lung cancer, but smoking data was not available. Other studies have found an association with interstitial lung disease. [Rom, p. 530] 2B: greater than 5 um; 3: less than 5 um; [IARC] May cause irritation; Contains quartz, cristobalite, and/or tridymite which may become airborne without a visible cloud; [MSDSonline] See "Fuller's earth."

Biomedical References

Explanatory Notes

Carcinogen = 2B (possible) for long fibers (> 5 microns); Carcinogen = 3 (not classifiable) for short fibers (< 5 microns); [IARC]

Possible (2b)

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Petroleum Production and Refining