Auramine O

News: Recently, auramine O, a banned synthetic dye, has re-emerged in India’s food chain, highlighting recurring chemical adulteration concerns.

About Auramine O

• Auramine O is a synthetic yellow industrial dye, produced from compounds such as dimethylaniline and formaldehyde.
• Regulation: It is not approved for use as a food colour in India, the European Union, the United States, or most other regulatory jurisdictions.
  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as a substance that is possibly carcinogenic to humans.
  • Concern: It is used to give a yellow colour to sweets, turmeric powder, chickpeas and street food snacks, despite the ban.
• Chemical property and structure
  • Formula: It has the molecular formula C₁₇H₂₂ClN₃.
  • Appearance: It typically appears as yellow flakes, powder or needle like crystals.
  • Solubility: It is soluble in ethanol and slightly soluble in water.
• Applications
  • Biological and medical uses
    • Fluorescent stain: Used to stain acid-fast bacteria in microscopy, particularly for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria.
    • Diagnostic tool: Helps in the direct detection of bacteria in patient specimens and is used to stain parasites like Cryptosporidium in stool samples.
    • Research: Investigated for potential uses in cancer treatments, cardiovascular disease research, and as a component in targeted drug delivery systems.
  • Industrial applications
    • Textile and leather industry: Used for dyeing acrylic, silk, and cotton fibers, as well as leather and paper.
    • Printing and inks: Used in direct printing, blotch discharge printing, and as a component in inks.
  • Other applications
    • Color lakes and paints: Used to create color lakes and is also used in the production of paints.
    • Food adulteration testing: Its presence is sometimes a marker for adulteration in certain food products, and specialized methods are used for its detection.
    • Health Concern: Ingestion of auramine O can cause liver and kidney damage, enlargement of the spleen, mutagenic effects, and carcinogenic outcomes with long-term exposure.