Highlights |
What is 1,1,2-trichloroethane? |
What happens to 1,1,2-trichloroethane when
it enters the environment? |
How might I be exposed to 1,1,2-trichloroethane? |
How can 1,1,2-trichloroethane affect my health? |
How likely is 1,1,2-trichloroethane to cause
cancer? |
Is there a medical test to show whether I've
been exposed to 1,1,2-trichloroethane? |
Has the federal government made recommendations
to protect human health? |
Glossary |
References |
Contact Information |
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July 1999 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
1,1,2-Trichloroethane |
(1,1,2-Tricloroetano) |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about 1,1,2-trichloroethane. For more
information, you may call the ATSDR Information Center at
1-888-422-8737. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries
about hazardous substances and their health effects. This
information is important because this substance may harm you.
The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend
on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits
and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
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HIGHLIGHTS: 1,1,2-Trichloroethane
is primarily used as a solvent and a chemical intermediate
in industry. Breathing high levels of it caused effects
on the liver, kidney, and nervous system in animals. This
chemical has been found in at least 45 of the 1,177 National
Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). |
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What
is 1,1,2-trichloroethane? |
1,1,2-Trichloroethane is a colorless,
sweet-smelling liquid. It does not burn easily, can be dissolved
in water, and evaporates easily. It is used as a solvent (a
chemical that dissolves other substances) and as an intermediate
in the production of the chemical, 1,1-dichloroethane.
1,1,2-Trichloroethane is sometimes present
as an impurity in other chemicals, and it may be formed when
another chemical breaks down in the environment under conditions
where there is no air.
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What
happens to 1,1,2-trichloroethane when it enters the environment? |
- Most 1,1,2-trichloroethane released into the environment
will go into the air.
- 1,1,2-Trichloroethane breaks down slowly in air; it takes
approximately 49 days for half of it to break down.
- 1,1,2-Trichloroethane may enter the groundwater by filtering
through the soil.
- It appears to stay in water for a long time; it takes
years for it to break down.
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How
might I be exposed to 1,1,2-trichloroethane? |
- Breathing outdoor air that contains it from industrial
releases.
- Drinking contaminated water.
- Breathing contaminated workplace air.
- Touching it when used as a solvent in the workplace.
- Breathing air near a hazardous waste site that contains
1,1,2-trichloroethane.
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How
can 1,1,2-trichloroethane affect my health? |
No information is available on how breathing
or swallowing 1,1,2-trichloroethane may affect your health.
Applying 1,1,2-trichloroethane to the skin of a person resulted
in stinging and burning of the skin.
When animals breathed high levels of
1,1,2-trichloroethane, it affected the liver and kidneys.
Nervous system effects, such as excitation and sleepiness,
were also seen. When animals swallowed food or water containing
1,1,2-trichloroethane, effects on the stomach, blood, liver,
kidneys, and nervous system were seen.
We do not know whether 1,1,2-trichloroethane
can affect reproduction in people. Animal studies have not
shown the chemical to affect normal reproduction and development.
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How
likely is 1,1,2-trichloroethane to cause cancer? |
No information is available on whether
or not 1,1,2-trichloroethane will cause cancer in people.
Only one study is available on the ability of 1,1,2-trichloroethane
to cause cancer in animals. This study found an increase in
liver cancer in mice, but not in rats, who were fed the chemical
for their lifetime.
The International Agency for Research
on Cancer (IARC) has determined that 1,1,2-trichloroethane
is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to 1,1,2-trichloroethane? |
Samples of your breath, blood, and urine
can be tested to determine if you have been recently exposed
to 1,1,2-trichloroethane. These tests must be done soon after
the exposure occurred. These tests will not tell you whether
your health will be affected by 1,1,2-trichloroethane and
are not routinely available in hospitals and clinics because
they require special equipment.
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Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The EPA has set a limit of 0.005 milligrams
of 1,1,2-trichloroethane per liter of drinking water (0.005
mg/L).
Discharges, spills, or accidental releases
of 100 pounds or more of 1,1,2-trichloroethane must be reported
to the EPA.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) has set a permissible exposure limit of 45 milligrams
1,1,2-trichloroethane per cubic meter of air (45 mg/m³)
for an 8-hour workday in a 40-hour workweek.
The American Conference of Governmental
and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also recommend
an occupational exposure limit of 45 mg/m³
for 1,1,2-trichloroethane.
The federal recommendations have been
updated as of July 1999.
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Glossary |
Carcinogenicity: Ability to cause cancer.
CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service.
Milligram (mg): One thousandth of a gram.
National Priorities List: A list of the
nation's worst hazardous waste sites.
Solvent: A substance that dissolves another
substance.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1989. Toxicological Profile for 1,1,2-trichloroethane. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
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Where can I get more information? |
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational
and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize,
evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous
substances. You can also contact your community or state health
or environmental quality department if you have any more questions
or concerns. For more information, contact:
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737)
FAX: (770)-488-4178
Email: ATSDRIC@cdc.gov
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