United States                           Pollution Prevention          December 1994
Environmental Protection      		and Toxics                    EPA 749-F-95-003
Agency  (7407)



                 OPPT Chemical Fact Sheets


              1,1'-Biphenyl (CAS No. 92-52-4)



Chemicals can be released to the environment as a result of their
manufacture, processing, and use.  EPA has developed information
summaries on selected chemicals to describe how you might be exposed
to these chemicals, how exposure to them might affect you and the
environment, what happens to them in the environment, who regulates
them, and whom to contact for additional information.  EPA is
committed to reducing environmental releases of chemicals through
source reduction and other practices that reduce creation of
pollutants.



WHAT IS BIPHENYL, HOW IS IT USED, AND HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED?

   Biphenyl (also called diphenyl) is a colorless solid.  It occurs
naturally in trace amounts.  It is produced in large amounts (53 million pounds in
1990) by four companies in the United States.  U.S. demand for biphenyl is likely to
remain constant over the next several years.  Current use patterns of biphenyl are not
available.  The main users are thought to be textile mills that use biphenyl in mixtures
that dissolve dyes.  In the past, companies have used biphenyl:

   *    As a heat transfer agent;
   *    As a starting material to make polychlorinated biphenyls; and
   *    As a treatment for paper used to pack citrus fruit.  

   Exposure can occur in the workplace or in the environment following
releases to air, water, land, or groundwater.  Biphenyl enters the body when people
breathe air contaminated with biphenyl or consume food or water contaminated with
biphenyl.  It can also be absorbed through skin contact.  It does not remain in the body due
to its breakdown and removal.


WHAT HAPPENS TO BIPHENYL IN THE ENVIRONMENT?

   Biphenyl dissolves poorly when mixed with water.  Most releases of
biphenyl to the U.S. environment are to air.  In air, biphenyl breaks down to other
chemicals or settles as dry deposits to water or land.  Biphenyl attaches to solid
material in water.  Microorganisms living in water and in soil break down biphenyl to
other chemicals.  Because it is a solid that binds to soil, biphenyl is not
likely to move through the ground and enter groundwater.  Plants and animals may store
small amounts of biphenyl.


HOW DOES BIPHENYL AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT?

   Effects of biphenyl on human health and the environment depend on how
much biphenyl is present and the length and frequency of exposure.  Effects
also depend on the health of a person or the condition of the environment when exposure
occurs.

   Workers exposed to biphenyl fumes for short periods of time have
experienced nausea, vomiting, irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, and
bronchitis.  These acute effects are not likely to occur at levels of biphenyl 
that are normally found in the U.S. environment.

   Breathing small amounts of biphenyl over long periods of time has
caused damage to the liver and nervous system of exposed workers.  Other human health
effects associated with exposure to small amounts of biphenyl over long periods of
time are not known.  Laboratory studies show that repeat exposure to large amounts of
biphenyl by ingestion damages the kidney and blood and reduces growth and life
expectency of animals.  Limited evidence suggests that repeat exposure to biphenyl dust
adversely affects the respiratory tract of laboratory animals.

    Biphenyl has high acute toxicity to aquatic life.  The biphenyl
industry has completed chronic aquatic toxicity studies in response to an EPA request
for testing.  These test show that biphenyl has low chronic toxicity to aquatic life.


WHAT EPA OFFICES OR OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES OR OTHER GROUPS CAN I CONTACT
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON BIPHENYL?

_______________________________________________________________________________
EPA OFFICE             	STATUTE                       		PHONE NUMBER
_______________________________________________________________________________
Pollution Prevention 	Pollution Prevention Act        	(202) 260-1023
 & Toxics              	 Emergency Planning and Community
                   	 Right-to-Know Act ( 313/Toxics
                   	 Release Inventory)           		(800) 424-9346
                  	Toxic Substances Control Act 
                  	 (TSCA)(4, 8A, 8D, 12B)         	(202) 554-1404
Air                    	Clean Air Act  (111, 112B)  		(919) 541-0888
Solid Waste &          	Resource Conservation and 
Emergency Response       Recovery Act (RCRA)               	(800) 424-9346
                  	Comprehensive Environmental 
                   	 Response, Compensation and 
                   	 Liability Act (CERCLA)       		(800) 424-9346
Water             	Clean Water Act                    	(202) 260-7588
______________________________________________________________________________


   
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY/DEPARTMENT OR GROUP        PHONE NUMBER
______________________________________________________________________________
Agency of Toxic Substances & Disease Registry             	(404) 639-6000
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists 	(513) 742-2020
Consumer Product Safety Commission                        	(301) 504-0994
Food & Drug Administration                           		(301) 443-3170 
National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health       	(800) 356-4674
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
             (Check local phone book for phone number under Department of Labor)

The Support Document for this and other OPPT Chemical Fact Sheets can be
found on the Internet at: http://www.epa.gov/chemfact/
______________________________________________________________________________