2-Nitroanisole; Evaluation of the carcinogenicity and genotoxicity

At request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, the Health Council of the Netherlands evaluates and judges the carcinogenic properties of substances to which workers are occupationally exposed. The evaluation is performed by the subcommittee on Classifying Carcinogenic Substances of the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Standards of the Health Council, hereafter called the committee. In this report, the committee evaluated 2-nitroanisole. 2-Nitroanisole is used in the synthesis of azo dyes, and as an intermediate for the preparation of pharmaceuticals.

Based on the available information, the committee is of the opinion that 2-nitroanisole should be considered as carcinogenic to humans. This recommendation is comparable to the EU classification in category 2. The committee is furthermore of the opinion that 2-nitroanisole acts by a stochastic genotoxic mechanism.