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5935740 
Technical Report 
NTP technical report on the toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of cresols (CAS No. 1319-77-3) in male F344/N rats and female B6C3F1 mice (feed studies) 
National Toxicology Program (NTP) :: National Toxicology Program (NTP) 
2008 
National Toxicology Program, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Research Triangle Park, NC 
NTP TR 550 
English 
Cresols are high volume production chemicals with a variety of industrial uses. Cresols are used in cleaners, disinfectants, solvents, degreasing compounds, paintbrush cleaners, fumigants, photographic developers, ore flotation processes, explosives, and synthetic food flavors. Cresols are also used as a motor oil additive, textile scouring agent, and surfactant. The chemical acts as an intermediate in the production of phenolic resins and phosphate esters (tricresyl phosphate and cresyl diphenyl phosphate); an intermediate in the manufacture of chemicals, dyes, plastics, and antioxidants; and an organic intermediate in the manufacture of herbicides. Cresols were nominated for study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences because of the potential for occupational and consumer exposure and the lack of chronic toxicity data. Male F344/N rats and female B6C3F1 mice were exposed to a 60:40 mixture of m- and p-cresol (m-/p-cresol) (greater than 99.5% pure) in feed for 2 years. Genetic toxicology studies were conducted in Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, and mouse peripheral blood erythrocytes.