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FILE NAME Talc TALC DATE 2011 DOC TALC131 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Journal Article - Industry and Cosmetic Uses of Talc with their Implications on Health Review Article JeJSME 2011 5 ) 10-16 Industry and Cosmetic Uses of Talc with their Implication on Health Davendralingam Sinniah Talc's softness whiteness lamellarity inertness and affinity for organic chemicals make it valuable for industrial and domestic applications The largest consumers are the paper and ceramic industry only % is used as cosmetics It is also used for preserving animal feed and a carrier for drugs insecticides pesticides and chemicals Talc was introduced as baby powder in 1894 and advertised aggressively worldwide Widespread and indiscriminate use soon raised concerns about its implications for health The IARC found that talc containing asbestiform fibres is carcinogenic to humans but inadequate evidence to implicate talc containing asbestiform fibres Pulmonary manifestations of talc inhalation include talcosis talcosilicosis and talco- asbestosis Drug administering adulterated oral medications intravenously develop pulmonary granulomas fibrosis and irreversible pulmonary hypertension Worldwide reports reveal talc inhalation is fatal to infants it coats and dries mucus membranes causes hemorrhage edema desquamation of bronchial epithelium and clogs and compromises mucociliary clearance larger quantities completely obstruct airways Progressive diffuse pulmonary fibrosis is a recognized sequel to massive aspiration of baby powder IARC has classified perineal use of talcum powder as a possible ovarian carcinogen while a recent study has found that perineal talcum powder increases the risk of endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women There is a need to raise public awareness of the serious risks associated with the use of talcum powder and for legislation to protect the health of the uninformed who represent the poorer segment of the community and infants and young children The dangers associated with cosmetic use of talc outweigh any possible benefits leJSME 2011 5 1 10-16 Key words Endometrial ovarian cancer pulmonary fibrosis granuloma pulmonary hypertension talc inhalation Talc talq is derived from the Greek word meaning pure It is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula Mg SIO or SiO OH Its natural formation starts from soapstone composed of talc chlorite mica quartz tremolite magnetite and iron It is the softest rock on earth porous weighs around 9 kilograms per cubic foot does not stain burn or attacked by acids Being metamorphic soapstone gradually changes over time in the presence of carbon dioxide and water carbonation from hard dense serpentine to steatite that contains 50-80 percent talc This more coarse- grained soapstone finally metamorphoses to pure talc Some 7.052 million tonnes of talc is mined annually worldwide Currently after China the world's largest producing countries are the U.S. India Finland Brazil and France Talc de Luzenac part of Rio Tinto's Luzenac Group operates the world's largest talc mine in southwest France Other producers are Spain Australia Austria Italy Russia and Democratic Republic of Korea Industrial Uses of Talc The five characteristics that make talc a valuable mineral for industrial and domestic applications are first its softness - that makes it valuable to industry second its chemical inertness third its lamellarity fourth its whiteness and fifth is its affinity for organic chemicals Talc has been used since antiquity the ancient craftsmen of Mohenjo and Harappa engraved seals with representations of animals and mythological figures and created sculptures vessels and bosses from steatite 5000 years ago They subjected their work to heat to generate a hard white lustrous enameled surface The incredible carvings in stone at Belur Halebid and Sravanabelagola India that date to 1100AD attest to the remarkable workable and durable qualities of talc The largest current consumer of talc is industry that that mixes talc with pulp for product The talc acts as a filler that adds the paper making its whiteness International Medical University Clinical School Seremban Jalan Rasah 7030 Seremban Negeri Sembilan DK MALAYSIA Address for Correspondence Professor Davendralingam Sinniah IMU Clinical School Seremban Jalan Rasah 7030 Seremban Negeri Sembilan DK MALAYSIA Email d.sinniah@yahoo.com d.sinniah@yahoo.com