December 1989 |
Public Health Statement |
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Bis(2-chloroethyl) Ether (BCEE) |
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This Public Health Statement is the
summary chapter from the Toxicological
Profile for bis(2-chloroethyl) ether (BCEE). It is one
in a series of Public Health Statements about hazardous substances
and their health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQs™,
is also available. 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. For more information, call the ATSDR Information
Center at 1-888-422-8737.
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1.1
What is BCEE? |
Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether (BCEE) is a
colorless nonflammable liquid with a strong, unpleasant odor.
It does not occur naturally, but is manufactured by humans
for use in the production of pesticides and other chemicals.
Limited amounts of BCEE will dissolve in water, and it also
will slowly evaporate into air. In the environment, BCEE is
broken down by bacteria in soil and water and by chemical
reactions in the air, so it does not tend to persist for long
periods.
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1.2
How might I be exposed to BCEE? |
Exposure to BCEE is most likely to occur
in or near chemical plants where it is made or used, or near
waste sites where it has been improperly disposed of. One
way exposure might occur is through consumption of drinking
water that contains BCEE. Low levels (0.01 to 0.5 parts per
billion [ppb]) of BCEE have been detected in the drinking
water supplies of several cities, and higher levels (840 ppb)
have been detected in underground water near some chemical
waste sites. Although BCEE evaporates relatively slowly, exposure
might also occur through breathing BCEE vapors near areas
where it is used or stored. However no information exists
on the levels of BCEE in outdoor air.
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1.3
How can BCEE enter and leave my body? |
BCEE enters the body easily after being
swallowed in food or water, or after being inhaled in air.
It may also enter by crossing the skin when dermal contact
occurs. Once inside the body, BCEE is broken down to a number
of different chemicals, and these are eliminated in the urine
or the breath. Most BCEE which enters the body is removed
in this way within two to three days, so BCEE does not tend
to accumulate in the body.
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1.4
How can BCEE affect my health? |
People exposed to BCEE vapors report
that it is highly irritating to the eyes and the nose. Animal
studies show that BCEE vapors can cause severe injury to the
lungs, and may lead to death. Mice given repeated doses of
BCEE through the mouth developed liver tumors. This suggests
that BCEE might cause cancer in humans, although no cases
of cancer due to BCEE have been reported in people and BCEE
was also not found to induce excess cancer after feeding to
rats. Effects of BCEE on other organs and body functions have
not been well studied, and it is not known if BCEE impairs
reproduction or the development of fetuses.
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1.5
Is there a medical test to determine whether I have been exposed
to BCEE? |
Although there are chemical tests that
can identify and measure BCEE, these have not been developed
for measuring BCEE in humans.
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1.6
What levels of exposure have resulted in harmful health effects? |
Irritation to the eye and nose has been
seen in people at levels of 35 parts per million (ppm) and
above of BCEE in air. In animals, lung injury and death were
noted at levels of 105 ppm in air, while nose irritation occurred
at levels of 35 ppm. Decreased weight gain was seen in guinea
pigs and rats at levels of 69 ppm in air.
No information is available on the levels
of BCEE that have caused adverse health effects when people
or animals ingested the chemical.
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1.7
What recommendations has the federal government made 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 BCEE 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 BCEE 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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1.8 Where can I get more information? |
If you have any more questions or concerns, please contact
your community or state health or environmental quality department or:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Information line and technical assistance:
Phone: 888-422-8737
FAX: (770)-488-4178
ATSDR can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health
clinics. These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses
resulting from exposure to hazardous substances.
To order toxicological profiles, contact:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1989. Toxicological
profile for bis(2-chloroethyl) ether (BCEE). Atlanta,
GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service.
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