July 1999 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Bis(2-chloroethyl) Ether |
(Éter Bis(2-Cloroetílico)) |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about bis(2-chloroethyl) ether. 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: Bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether is mainly used as a chemical intermediate to make
pesticides, but some of it is used as a solvent and cleaner.
It is irritating to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and
lungs. Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether has been found at 821
of the 1,518 National Priorities List sites identified
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). |
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What
is bis(2-chloroethyl) ether? |
Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether is a colorless,
nonflammable liquid with a strong unpleasant odor. It dissolves
easily in water, and some of it will slowly evaporate to the
air. It does not occur naturally.
Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether is made in factories,
and most of it is used to make pesticides. Some of it is used
as a solvent, cleaner, component of paint and varnish, rust
inhibitor, or as a chemical intermediate to make other chemicals.
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What
happens to bis(2-chloroethyl) ether when it enters the environment? |
- Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether released to air can be broken
down by reactions with other chemicals and sunlight or can
be removed by rain.
- In water, it can be broken down by bacteria.
- When released to soil, some will filter through the soil
to groundwater, some will be broken down by bacteria, and
some will evaporate to the air.
- Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether does not build up in the food
chain.
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How
might I be exposed to bis(2-chloroethyl) ether? |
- You are most likely to be exposed to bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether if you work in a factory where it is made or used.
- People who live near a waste site or industrial facility
containing bis(2-chloroethyl) ether may be exposed to it
in the air they breathe or by touching contaminated soil.
- You could be exposed if you drank water that was contaminated
with bis(2-chloroethyl) ether.
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How
can bis(2-chloroethyl) ether affect my health? |
Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether causes irritation
to the skin, eyes, throat, and lungs. In some cases, damage
to the lungs can be severe enough to cause death. Breathing
low concentrations will cause coughing and nose, and throat
irritation.
Animal studies show effects similar to
those observed in people. These effects include irritation
to the skin, nose, and lungs; lung damage; and a decrease
in growth rate. Animals that survived the exposures recovered
fully in 4 to 8 days. Some animal studies indicate that bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether can affect the nervous system resulting in sluggish
and slow movement, staggering, unconsciousness, and death.
We do not know if bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether causes reproductive effects or birth defects in people
or animals.
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How
likely is bis(2-chloroethyl) ether to cause cancer? |
The ability of bis(2-chloroethyl) ether
to cause cancer in humans has not been established. There
is some evidence that bis(2-chloroethyl) ether causes cancer
in mice. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
has determined that bis(2-chloroethyl) ether is not classifiable
as to its carcinogenicity in humans.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether? |
There are tests that can detect bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether in some animal tissues and in environmental samples,
but these tests have not been developed for measuring bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether in people.
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Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The EPA recommends that levels in lakes
and streams should be limited to 0.03 parts per billion parts
of water (0.03 ppb) to prevent possible health effects from
drinking water or eating fish contaminated with bis(2-chloroethyl)
ether. Any release to the environment greater than 10 pounds
of bis(2-chloroethyl) ether must be reported to the EPA.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) has set a limit of 15 parts per million (15 ppm) over
an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.
The National Institute of Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that workplace air should
not exceed 5 ppm bis(2-chloroethyl) ether averaged over a
10-hour workday or 40-hour workweek. Their recommended short-term
exposure limit (up to 15 minutes) is 10 ppm averaged over
an 8-hour period.
The federal recommendations have been
updated as of July 1999.
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Glossary |
Carcinogenicity: Ability to cause
cancer.
CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service.
Evaporate: To change into a vapor
or a gas.
National Priorities List: A list
of the nation's worst hazardous waste sites.
Pesticide: A substance that kills
pests.
ppb: Parts per billion.
ppm: Parts per million.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1989. Toxicological Profile for bis(2-chloroethyl) ether. 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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