China is the world's largest producer and user of dyes. The mass production and widespread use of disperse azo dyes led to environmental pollutions and potential human health risks. Azo dyes in environmental media (i.e., water, soil, air, and dust), food and clothing can enter the human body through multiple exposure routes, and some of them can be metabolized to produce more toxic metabolites, which can trigger toxic effects such as allergic reactions, tumor formation, and endocrine disruptions. This study systematically reviewed the production and use of azo dyes, environmental concentrations, human exposures, toxic effects and their underlying mechanisms, and regulations and standards. Meanwhile, the research trends of azo dyes were also discussed.
中国是世界第一大染料生产和使用国。偶氮染料的大量生产和广泛使用导致环境污染，以及潜在的人体健康风险。环境介质（水、土、气、灰尘等）、食物和服装中的偶氮染料可经多种暴露途径进入人体，部分可代谢生成毒性更强的代谢产物，从而引发过敏反应、肿瘤生成、内分泌干扰等毒性效应。本文综述了偶氮染料的生产使用、环境浓度、人群暴露、毒代动力学、毒性效应及其机制和法规标准，同时展望了偶氮染料的研究趋势。.
Keywords: Carcinogens, environmental; Disperse dyes; Endocrine disruption; Toxic actions.