Pigment Violet 29 (C.I. 71129) is an
organic compound
In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. T ...
that is used as a
pigment
A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compou ...
[Michael Greene]
Perylene Pigments
In: Hugh M. Smith (ed.). High Performance Pigments. Wiley-VCH Verlag, 2002. Retrieved 5 April 2016. and
vat dye
Vat dyes are a class of dyes that are classified as such because of the method by which they are applied. Vat dyeing is a process that refers to dyeing that takes place in a bucket or vat. The original vat dye is indigo, once obtained only from pl ...
. Its colour is dark red purple, or bordeaux.
[The Color of Art Pigment Database: Pigment Violet](_blank)
''artiscreation.com'', David Myers. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
Structurally, it is a derivative of
perylene
Perylene or perilene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C20H12, occurring as a brown solid. It or its derivatives may be carcinogenic, and it is considered to be a hazardous pollutant. In cell membrane cytochemistry, ...
, although it is produced from
acenaphthene
Acenaphthene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) consisting of naphthalene with an ethylene bridge connecting positions 1 and 8. It is a colourless solid. Coal tar consists of about 0.3% of this compound.
Production and reactions
Acenaph ...
. It is a less common dye compared to related derivatives such as
pigment red 190 (Vat Red 29).
[K. Hunger. W. Herbst "Pigments, Organic" in ''Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry'', Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2012. ]
Violet 29 is used in watercolors, acrylic paints, automotive paints, inks for printing and packaging, cleaning and washing agents, pharmaceuticals, solar cells, paper, sporting goods, industrial carpeting, and food packaging.
Toxicology
Violet 29 is derived from the
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
A polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) is a class of organic compounds that is composed of multiple aromatic rings. The simplest representative is naphthalene, having two aromatic rings and the three-ring compounds anthracene and phenanthrene. ...
perylene
Perylene or perilene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C20H12, occurring as a brown solid. It or its derivatives may be carcinogenic, and it is considered to be a hazardous pollutant. In cell membrane cytochemistry, ...
. Perylene is less toxic than its well-studied cousin benzo
yrene. Little is actually known about the mechanistic toxicology of violet 29, so the EPA findings are based on occupational hazard studies. Violet 29 is extreme insoluble in water and octanol, so any exposure routes are considered to be by inhalation of dust. Thus, the EPA determined that occupational exposure was realistically the only way any toxic levels could be reached in any group.
EPA Risk Review
Violet 29 is under risk evaluation review by the US EPA as part of the
Toxic Substances Control Act
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a United States law, passed by the 94th United States Congress in 1976 and administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that regulates chemicals not regulated by other U. ...
.
In early 2021, the US EPA Final Risk Review found "no unreasonable risk" to the environment, consumers, bystanders, or the general population for any conditions of use for Violet 29 However, the EPA found an "unreasonable risk" to workers from the domestic manufacturing or import of the chemical and nearly all uses and disposal.
[=EPA_2021] This finding under
TSCA is for alveolar hyperplasia, inflammatory and morphological changes in the lower respiratory tract for chronic inhalation exposures.
The finding of "unreasonable risk" requires the EPA to work to reduce or manage the risk, including banning the use of a particular chemical.
References
{{organic-compound-stub
Perylene dyes
Vat dyes
Imides