WebMD Lists 8 New Potential Carcinogens

In our ever vigilant world of prevention, you can't be too careful.  Cancer is one of those diseases that it is so much easier to avoid than to deal with once you have it.

 

WebMD has a listing of 8 new potential carcinogens.  Two are listed as known carcinogens while 6 are listed as "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens".

The two known are:

1. Aristolochic Acids
2. Formaldehyde

The 6 "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens" are:

• Styrene, a compound used to make polystyrene. Although disposable cups made from polystyrene leach small amounts of styrene, Bucher says the amounts are very small.
• Captafol, a fungicide once commonly used in agriculture but no longer produced after 1987 or used after 2006 in the U.S.
• Cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form) is used to make hard-metal tools. The major source of exposure is from plants manufacturing such products.
• Certain inhalable glass wool fibers used in air filters or as insulation. The type of glass wool used for insulation and filtration may be less dangerous than the special kind used for manufacturing.
• O-nitrotoluene is used in the manufacture of dyes. Most exposures come from air or ground pollution.
• Riddelliine is a plant compound found in a type of daisy found in the Western U.S. and in other parts of the world. It has been used accidentally in medicinal herbs and may contaminate the milk of cows that graze on the plants.

For the full article, head on over to WebMD.