worldwide scale the consumption rate of acrylic acid is projected to reach more than an estimated 8,000 kilotons, by 2020. This increase is expected to occur as a result of using this product in new applications, including personal care products, detergents and products that are used for adult incontinence. Substituents As a substituent acrylic acid can be found as an acyl group or a carboxyalkyl group, depending on the removal of the group from the molecule. More specifically, these are: The acryloyl group, with the removal of the −OH from carbon-1. The 2-carboxyethenyl group, with the removal of a −H from carbon-3. This substituent group is found in chlorophyll. Safety Acrylic acid is severely irritating and corrosive to the skin and the respiratory tract. Eye contact can result in severe and irreversible injury. Low exposure will cause minimal or no health effects, while high exposure could result in pulmonary edema. The is 340 mg/kg (rat, oral) with the lowest recorded being 293 mg/kg (oral, rat) comparable to ethylene glycol which is indicative of being a potent poison. Ethyl acrylate was once used as synthetic food flavoring and was withdrawn by FDA possibly due to cancerogenic effects observed in lab animals. Acrylic acid has been found to be affecting weight gain in animal studies. Acrylic acid can be converted to non-toxic lactic acid. Acrylic acid is a constituent of tobacco smoke. See also Methacrylic acid Acryloyl chloride Acrylamide Acrylate polymer Sodium polyacrylate References External links National Pollutant Inventory: Acrylic acid CDC – NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards – Acrylic acid Enoic acids Hazardous air pollutants Monomers Commodity chemicals Suspected fetotoxicants Vinyl compounds