Orange 2 — toxicity, side effects, diseases and environmental impacts

Saturday, November 18, 2017 by Michelle Simmons

Orange 2, also referred to as acid orange 7 and 2-naphthol orange, is an orange acid dye. It has a red light orange to golden yellow color. It can be in powder form that is soluble in water and alcohol. The chemical is primarily used as a dye for silk and wool, polyamide fiber fabric of direct printing, leather, and paper. It can also be used in indicator and biological shading. Orange 2 has the molecular formula of C₁₆H₁₁N₂NaO₄S .

List of known side effects

There are a few known side effects of orange 2 in humans. Skin contact with the chemical can cause skin irritation or skin corrosion. Similarly, when the chemical comes in contact with the eyes, it may cause eye irritation and serious eye damage. In addition, particles of orange 2 inhaled by the body may cause irritation in the respiratory tract. Long-term or repeated exposure to the chemical may cause damage to body organs. Orange 2 can be absorbed by the body through skin contact, eye contact, inhalation, and ingestion. The acid dye can be harmful to the environment, particularly the aquatic environment, as it can cause aquatic animals.

Based on animal studies, oral administration of orange 2 promoted severe damage to red blood cells. In mice fed with the substance, chromosomal damage was seen in their bone marrow and sperm.

Body systems affected by orange 2

The body systems adversely affected by orange 2 are the integumentary, ocular, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, skeletal, and reproductive systems.

Items that can contain orange 2

Orange 2 is used as an orange colorant and can be found in silk, wool, polyamide fiber of direct printing, leather, and paper color.

How to avoid orange 2

Orange 2 exposure can be minimized or avoided in several ways when handling it. One of these ways is to have a proper ventilation in the area to avoid inhalation of the chemical. In case if there is no proper ventilation, wearing an approved respirator is essential. To prevent contact in the eyes, wearing splash goggles is recommended. Another way to prevent skin contact with orange 2 is by wearing suitable protective gloves, suit, boots, and clothing.