Which category do benzene, asbestos, and arsenic belong to?

Which category do benzene, asbestos, and arsenic belong to?

• A. corrosives
• B. convulsants
• C. irritants
• D. carcinogens

Answer: (D)

Carcinogens are substances that can cause cancer in living tissue. Benzene is a well-established carcinogen linked to leukemia; asbestos exposure is associated with mesothelioma and lung cancer; arsenic, especially in inorganic forms, is linked to skin cancer and cancers of the lung and urinary tract. Because the defining risk is cancer from exposure, these substances are categorized as carcinogens. They aren’t primarily corrosives (which burn or destroy tissue on contact), irritants (which cause inflammation), or convulsants (which can trigger seizures), so those other categories don’t fit as well.

Carcinogens are substances that can cause cancer in living tissue. Benzene is a well-established carcinogen linked to leukemia; asbestos exposure is associated with mesothelioma and lung cancer; arsenic, especially in inorganic forms, is linked to skin cancer and cancers of the lung and urinary tract. Because the defining risk is cancer from exposure, these substances are categorized as carcinogens. They aren’t primarily corrosives (which burn or destroy tissue on contact), irritants (which cause inflammation), or convulsants (which can trigger seizures), so those other categories don’t fit as well.