Baby Safety / Compounds / Amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate)

Is Amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate) safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) GHS Danger classification. Carcinogenicity concern during pregnancy.

What is amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate)?

The IUPAC name is [dioxido-[oxo(trioxidosilyloxy)silyl]oxysilyl]oxy-[[dioxido-[oxo(trioxidosilyloxy)silyl]oxysilyl]oxy-oxosilyl]oxy-dioxidosilane;heptakis(iron(2+));dihydroxide.

Also known as: [dioxido-[oxo(trioxidosilyloxy)silyl]oxysilyl]oxy-[[dioxido-[oxo(trioxidosilyloxy)silyl]oxysilyl]oxy-oxosilyl]oxy-dioxidosilane;heptakis(iron(2+));dihydroxide, AMOSITE, Amosite asbestos, Asbestos, amosite.

IUPAC name
[dioxido-[oxo(trioxidosilyloxy)silyl]oxysilyl]oxy-[[dioxido-[oxo(trioxidosilyloxy)silyl]oxysilyl]oxy-oxosilyl]oxy-dioxidosilane;heptakis(iron(2+));dihydroxide
CAS number
12172-73-5
Molecular formula
Fe7H2O24Si8
Molecular weight
1001.6 g/mol
SMILES
[OH-].[OH-].[O-][Si]([O-])([O-])O[Si](=O)O[Si]([O-])([O-])O[Si](=O)O[Si]([O-])([O-])O[Si]([O-])([O-])O[Si](=O)O[Si]([O-])([O-])[O-].[Fe+2].[Fe+2].[Fe+2].[Fe+2].[Fe+2].[Fe+2].[Fe+2]
PubChem CID
131633415

Risk for babies

High risk

GHS Danger classification. Carcinogenicity concern during pregnancy.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

High risk

GHS Danger classification. Carcinogenicity concern during pregnancy.

Regulatory consensus

4 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / NTP RoC—Known Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 1 - Carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 1 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 1 positive / 2 negative reports)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate)

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate):

  • Safer process chemistry; Green chemistry alternatives; Exposure controls
    Trade-offs: Requires R&D investment to redesign synthesis routes; may reduce yield or throughput initially; long-term benefits include reduced waste treatment costs, regulatory compliance, and worker safety; 12 Principles of Green Chemistry framework available.
    Relative cost: 2-5×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate)?

Amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Waste treatment sites (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

Why do regulators disagree about amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate)?

Amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate) has been classified by 4 agencies including EPA CTX / NTP RoC, EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate) in the baby app

Look up products containing amosite fiber (magnesium iron silicate), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)
  1. PubChem Compound CID 131633415 — database
  2. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard — DTXSID5030741 — epa
  3. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 12172-73-5 — reference

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →