Background: Current information on the health effects and toxicology of talc suggests that this may lead to a specific target organ toxicity arising from repeated exposure (STOT-RE) classification.
Objective: To provide an assessment of the currently available inhalation toxicity data on talc and to put these data in the perspective of other poorly soluble low-toxicity particles.
Methods: A database of 177 articles was gathered from different sources.
Results: Relevant animal data sets were subjected to a quality review, and epidemiological studies on talc and lung effects published since 2016 were reviewed.
Conclusions: Of nine original inhalation studies reviewed, only one study using rats and mice met the criteria that are needed to include for a reliable evaluation for STOT-RE. Together with the pulmonary effects observed in exposed talc miners, a STOT-RE 1 classification is warranted.
Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.