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July 1999 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
1,1-Dichloroethane |
(1,1-Dicloroetano) |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about 1,1-dichloroethane. 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-Dichloroethane is used to make other chemicals and
to dissolve and remove grease. Breathing very high levels
can affect your heart and animal studies have seen kidney
disease from long-term exposure to high levels in air.
1,1-Dichloroethane has been found in at least 248 of the
1,430 National Priorities List sites identified by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). |
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What
is 1,1-dichloroethane? |
1,1-Dichloroethane is a colorless, oily
liquid with a sweet odor. It evaporates easily at room temperature
and burns easily. It does not occur naturally in the environment.
In the past, 1,1-dichloroethane was used
as a surgical anesthetic, but it is no longer used this way.
Today it is used primarily to make other chemicals, to dissolve
substances such as paint, varnish, and finish removers, and
to remove grease.
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What
happens to 1,1-dichloroethane when it enters the environment? |
- 1,1-Dichloroethane is released from industrial processes
primarily to the air.
- 1,1-Dichloroethane evaporates from water rapidly into
the air.
- It can also be found in the air as a breakdown product
of another chemical, 1,1,1-trichloroethane.
- 1,1-Dichloroethane does not dissolve easily in water.
- Small amounts of 1,1-dichloroethane released to soil can
evaporate into the air or move into groundwater.
- It is not known how long it stays in soil.
- 1,1-Dichloroethane is not expected to build up in the
body tissues of animals.
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How
might I be exposed to 1,1-dichloroethane? |
- Breathing air containing it from industrial releases or
hazardous waste sites.
- Drinking contaminated tap water.
- Touching soil containing it.
- Touching contaminated materials in the workplace.
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How
can 1,1-dichloroethane affect my health? |
Very limited information is available
on the effects of 1,1-dichloroethane on people's health. The
chemical was discontinued as a surgical anesthetic when effects
on the heart, such as irregular heart beats, were reported.
Studies in animals have shown that 1,1-dichloroethane
can cause kidney disease after long-term exposure to high
levels in air. Delayed growth was seen in the offspring of
animals who breathed high concentrations of the chemical during
pregnancy.
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How
likely is 1,1-dichloroethane to cause cancer? |
The Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),
and the EPA have not classified 1,1-dichloroethane for carcinogenicity.
1,1-Dichloroethane caused cancer in one
study in which rats and mice were fed large doses of the chemical
for their lifetimes.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to 1,1-dichloroethane? |
Tests are available that measure 1,1-dichloroethane
in urine, blood, breath, and body tissues. These tests aren't
available at most doctors' offices, but can be done at a special
laboratory that has special equipment.
The tests must be done soon after exposure
occurs, because most of the 1,1-dichloroethane that is taken
into the body leaves within 2 days. In addition, these tests
cannot tell you when you were exposed, or whether health effects
will occur.
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Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The EPA requires that spills or accidental
releases into the environment of 1,000 pounds or more of 1,1-dichloroethane
be reported to the EPA.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) has set an occupational exposure limit of 400 milligrams
of 1,1-dichloroethane per cubic meter of air (400 mg/m³)
for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.
The National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommend the same exposure
limit in air.
NIOSH currently recommends that a level
of 12,150 mg/m³ be considered
immediately dangerous to life and health. This is the exposure
level of 1,1-dichloroethane that is likely to cause permanent
health problems or death.
The federal recommendations have been
updated as of July 1999.
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Glossary |
Anesthetic: A substance used to cause
numbness.
Carcinogenicity: Ability to cause cancer.
CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service.
Evaporate: To change into a vapor or
gas.
Milligram (mg): One thousandth of a gram.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1990. Toxicological Profile for 1,1-dichloroethane. 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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