September 1996 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
RDX |
(RDX) |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about RDX. 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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SUMMARY: RDX is an explosive.
Few people will be exposed to RDX. Exposure to large amounts
can cause seizures. RDX has been found in at least 16
of the 1,430 National Priorities List sites identified
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). |
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What
is RDX? |
RDX stands for Royal Demolition eXplosive.
It is also known as cyclonite or hexogen. The chemical name
for RDX is 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine. It is a white powder
and is very explosive.
RDX is used as an explosive and is also
used in combination with other ingredients in explosives.
Its odor and taste are unknown. It is a synthetic product
that does not occur naturally in the environment. It creates
fumes when it is burned with other substances.
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What
happens to RDX when it enters the environment? |
- Particles of RDX can enter the air when it is disposed
of by burning.
- RDX can enter the water from disposal of waste water from
Army ammunitions plants, and it can enter water or soil
from spills or leaks from improper disposal at these plants
or at hazardous waste sites.
- RDX dissolves very slowly in water, and it also evaporates
very slowly from water.
- It does not cling to soil very strongly and can move into
the groundwater from soil.
- RDX can be broken down in air and water in a few hours,
but it breaks down more slowly in soil.
- RDX does not build up in fish or in people.
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How
might I be exposed to RDX? |
- Breathing dust with RDX in it.
- Getting RDX on their skin.
- Drinking contaminated water or touching contaminated soil
near factories that produce RDX.
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How
can RDX affect my health? |
RDX can cause seizures (a problem of
the nervous system) in humans and animals when large amounts
are inhaled or eaten. The effects of long-term (365 days or
longer), low-level exposure on the nervous system are not
known. Nausea and vomiting have also been seen. No other significant
health effects have been seen in humans.
Rats and mice that ate RDX for 3 months
or more had decreased body weights and slight liver and kidney
damage.
It is not known whether RDX causes birth
defects in humans; it did not cause birth defects in rabbits,
but it did result in smaller offspring in rats. It is not
known whether RDX affects reproduction in people.
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How
likely is RDX to cause cancer? |
The EPA has determined that RDX is a
possible human carcinogen.
In one study, RDX caused liver tumors
in mice that were exposed to it in the food. However, carcinogenic
effects were not noted in rat studies and no human data are
available.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to RDX? |
Medical tests are available that can
measure RDX levels in your blood or urine. However, these
tests can only be used if you have come in contact with RDX
in the last few days. These tests can determine if you have
been exposed to RDX, but they cannot be used to determine
how much RDX entered your body.
These tests aren't available at most
doctors' offices, but can be done at special laboratories
that have the right equipment. However, they cannot be used
to determine long-term health effects from RDX.
The usual immediate health effects (seizures,
muscle twitching, or vomiting) from very high exposures would
probably occur before you had the blood or urine test.
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Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The Department of Transportation (DOT)
has many regulations on the transportation of explosives.
The EPA recommends a drinking water guideline
of 2 micrograms (µg) RDX per liter for lifetime exposure
for adults.
The National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recommended an exposure limit
of 1.5 milligrams RDX per cubic meter of air (1.5 mg/m³)
for a 10-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.
The NIOSH short-term exposure limit,
which is the highest level of RDX that they recommend workers
be exposed to for 15 minutes, is 3 mg/m³.
The American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) also recommends an exposure
limit of 1.5 mg/m³ in workplace air for an 8-hour workday,
40-hour workweek.
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Glossary |
Carcinogen: A substance that can cause
cancer.
CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service.
Dissolve: To disappear gradually.
Evaporate: To change into a vapor or
a gas.
Microgram (µg): One millionth of
a gram.
Milligram (mg): One thousandth of a gram.
Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1995. Toxicological
Profile for RDX. 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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