Toxicity, Hazards, and Safe Handling of Primary Aromatic Amines

Abstract

Aromatic amines (AAs) are an important class of organic compounds that find their application in various industries, such as dye production, rubber manufacturing, and pharmaceutical synthesis. Despite the various applications, they significantly harm human health and the environment. This article provides an overview of the toxicity, hazards, and safe handling of some primary aromatic amines (PAAs), focusing on representative examples, such as aniline, toluidine, nitroaniline, chloroaniline, and naphthylamine. The carcinogenicity and mutagenicity of PAAs are a matter of concern that impacts the health of workers who are occupationally exposed to such chemicals. Nonoccupational exposure to tobacco smoke and household products also causes health issues in elderly patients who remain indoors. Water and soil contamination by these pollutants adversely affects aquatic organisms and groundwater quality. Thus, proper handling and disposal protocols must be followed to minimize their impact on human health and the environment. Additionally, this review discusses the discrepancies between the European Union (EU) and Japan’s hazard categorization for aniline as a specific example. The information presented in this review emphasizes the importance of understanding toxicity, hazards, and safe handling practices associated with PAAs to ensure their responsible use and mitigate potential risks.