For definition of Groups, see Preamble Evaluation.
VOL.: 63 (1995) (p. 393)
CAS No.:
Chem. Abstr. Name: Furan
Furan is produced commercially by decarbonylation of furfural. It is used mainly in the production of tetrahydrofuran, thiophene and pyrrole. It also occurs naturally in certain woods and during the combustion of coal and is found in engine exhausts, wood smoke and tobacco smoke.
No data were available to the Working Group.
Furan was tested for carcinogenicity by oral administration in one study in mice and in one study in rats. It produced hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas in mice. In rats, it produced hepatocellular adenomas in animals of each sex and carcinomas in males; a high incidence of cholangiocarcinomas was seen in both males and females. The incidence of mononuclear-cell leukaemia was also increased in animals of each sex.
Furan is rapidly and extensively absorbed by rats after oral administration; part of the absorbed dose becomes covalently bound to protein, mainly in the liver. No DNA binding could be demonstrated in the liver.
Repeated administration of furan to mice and rats leads to liver necrosis, liver-cell proliferation and bile-duct hyperplasia; in rats, prominent cholangiofibrosis develops.
Induction of chromosomal aberrations but not of sister chromatid exchange was observed in rodents treated in vivo in one study. Gene mutation, sister chromatid exchange (in single studies) and chromosomal aberrations were induced in rodent cells in vitro.
Furan was not mutagenic to insects or bacteria.
There is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of furan.
There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of furan.
Furan is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).
For definition of the italicized terms, see Preamble Evaluation.
See Also:
Toxicological Abbreviations
Furan (ICSC)