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Reference.org
Carbon black
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<p>Carbon black (with subtypes acetylene black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black and thermal black) is a material produced by the <a href="/facts/Combustion/ohQoWj8z">incomplete combustion</a> of <a href="/facts/Coal_tar/6lLDL4Ic">coal tar</a>, vegetable matter, or <a href="/facts/Petroleum/IQV0bHVd">petroleum</a> products, including fuel oil, <a href="/facts/Fluid_catalytic_cracking/F8cpnstx">fluid catalytic cracking</a> tar, and <a href="/facts/Ethylene/QMNBYLYn">ethylene cracking</a> in a limited supply of air. Carbon black is a form of <a href="/facts/Paracrystalline/1qLPesFC">paracrystalline</a> <a href="/facts/Amorphous_carbon/lAUjjset">carbon</a> that has a high <a href="/facts/Surface-area-to-volume_ratio/lEl1rKLh">surface-area-to-volume ratio</a>, albeit lower than that of <a href="/facts/Activated_carbon/YAbaXCcb">activated carbon</a>. It is dissimilar to <a href="/facts/Soot/xzU91yKv">soot</a> in its much higher surface-area-to-volume ratio and significantly lower (negligible and non-bioavailable) <a href="/facts/Polycyclic_aromatic_hydrocarbon/K52xSfNC">polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon</a> (PAH) content. </p><p>Carbon black is used as a colorant and reinforcing <a href="/facts/Filler_(materials)/wMmIePGc">filler</a> in <a href="/facts/Tire/TUgHKMQb">tires</a> and other rubber products and as a pigment and wear protection additive in plastics, paints, and ink <a href="/facts/Pigment/I3clCYkF">pigment</a>. It is used in the EU as a food colorant when produced from vegetable matter (E153). </p><p>The current <a href="/facts/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer/Pb8KPyTz">International Agency for Research on Cancer</a> (IARC) evaluation is that, "Carbon black is possibly <a href="/facts/Carcinogen/soH8Y9CE">carcinogenic</a> to humans (<a href="/facts/List_of_IARC_Group_2B_carcinogens/h9RmLd6r">Group 2B</a>)". Short-term exposure to high concentrations of carbon black dust may produce discomfort to the <a href="/facts/Upper_respiratory_tract/nnG9UEmr">upper respiratory tract</a> through mechanical irritation. </p>