Disclaimer: These guidelines were developed under contract using generally accepted secondary sources. The protocol used by the contractor for surveying these data sources was developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Department of Energy (DOE). The information contained in these guidelines is intended for reference purposes only. None of the agencies have conducted a comprehensive check of the information and data contained in these sources. It provides a summary of information about chemicals that workers may be exposed to in their workplaces. The secondary sources used for supplements 111 and 1V were published before 1992 and 1993, respectively, and for the remainder of the guidelines the secondary sources used were published before September 1996. This information may be superseded by new developments in the field of industrial hygiene. Therefore readers are advised to determine whether new information is available.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH GUIDELINE FOR 4-METHOXYPHENOL
INTRODUCTION
This guideline summarizes pertinent information about 4-methoxyphenol for
workers and employers as well as for physicians, industrial hygienists, and
other occupational safety and health professionals who may need such
information to conduct effective occupational safety and health programs.
Recommendations may be superseded by new developments in these fields;
readers are therefore advised to regard these recommendations as general
guidelines and to determine whether new information is available.
SUBSTANCE IDENTIFICATION
* Formula
C(7)H(8)O(2)
* Structure
(For Structure, see paper copy)
* Synonyms
Hydroquinone monomethyl ether, p-hydroxyanisole, mequinol y
* Identifiers
1. CAS No.: 150-76-5
2. RTECS No.: SL7700000
3. Specific DOT number: None.
4. Specific DOT label: None.
* Appearance and odor
4-Methoxyphenol is a white to tan, waxy, flaky crystalline solid
with an odor of caramel and phenol.
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
* Physical data
1. Molecular weight: 124.15
2. Boiling point (at 760 mm Hg): 243 degrees C (469 degrees F)
3. Specific gravity (water = 1): 1.55 at 20 degrees C (68 degrees F)
4. Vapor density: Data not available.
5. Melting point: 57 degrees C (135 degrees F)
6. Vapor pressure: Data not available.
7. Solubility: Slightly soluble in water; soluble in organic solvents
such as alcohol, ether and benzene.
8. Evaporation rate: Data not available.
* Reactivity
1. Conditions contributing to instability: None reported.
2. Incompatibilities: Contact between 4-methoxyphenol and oxidizing
agents, strong bases, acid chlorides, or acid anhydrides may cause reactions
to occur.
3. Hazardous decomposition products: Toxic gases (such as carbon
monoxide) may be released in a fire involving 4-methoxyphenol.
4. Special precautions: None reported.
* Flammability
The National Fire Protection Association has assigned a flammability
rating of 1 (slight fire hazard) to 4-methoxyphenol.
1. Flash point: 132 degrees C (270 degrees F) (open cup)
2. Autoignition temperature: 421 degrees C (790 degrees F)
3. Flammable limits in air: None reported.
4. Extinguishant: Use dry chemical, carbon dioxide, alcohol-resistant
foam, or water spray to fight fires involving 4-methoxyphenol. Water or foam
may cause frothing.
Fires involving 4-methoxyphenol should be fought upwind from the
maximum distance possible. Isolate the hazard area and deny access to
unnecessary personnel. Firefighters should wear a full set of protective
clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus when fighting fires involving
4-methoxyphenol.
EXPOSURE LIMITS
* OSHA PEL
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not
currently regulate 4-methoxyphenol.
* NIOSH REL
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
has established a recommended exposure limit (REL) for 4-methoxyphenol of 5
milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m(3)) of air as a TWA for up to a 10-hour
workday and a 40-hour workweek [NIOSH 1992].
* ACGIH TLV
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
(ACGIH) has assigned 4-methoxyphenol a threshold limit value (TLV) of 5
mg/m(3) as a TWA for a normal 8-hour workday and a 40-hour workweek [ACGIH
1994, p. 25].
* Rationale for Limits
The NIOSH limit is based on the risk of irritation, corneal damage,
and central nervous system depression [NIOSH 1992].
The ACGIH limit is based on the risk of eye and skin toxicity and by
analogy to hydroquinone [ACGIH 1991, p. 925].
HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION
* Routes of Exposure
Exposure to 4-methoxyphenol can occur through inhalation, ingestion,
and eye or skin contact.
* Summary of toxicology
1. Effects on Animals: Exposure to 4-methoxyphenol can affect the eyes,
skin, and central nervous systems [ACGIH 1991]. 4-Methoxyphenol caused
moderate corneal damage when applied directly to the eye of rabbits [ACGIH
1991]. Dermal contact with 4-methoxyphenol for more than one day caused
necrosis in rabbits [Clayton and Clayton 1981]. Guinea pigs treated with 20
percent concentration of 4-methoxyphenol in lanolin had skin depigmentation
[ACGIH 1991]. The oral LD(50) in rats is 1,600 mg/kg [ACGIH 1991]. The
gross signs of intraperitoneal poisoning were paralysis and anoxia at lower
levels and narcosis at high levels [Clayton and Clayton 1981].
4-Methoxyphenol was not a skin sensitizer in guinea pigs [Clayton and Clayton
1981].
2. Effects on Humans: Exposure to 4-methoxyphenol may produce burns to
the skin and eyes [ACGIH 1991]. Two of eight workers handling
4-methoxyphenol developed skin depigmentation [ACGIH 1991].
* Signs and symptoms of exposure
1. Acute exposure: No signs or symptoms of acute exposure to
4-methoxyphenol have been reported in humans.
2. Chronic exposure: The sign and symptoms of chronic exposure to
4-methoxyphenol include skin discoloration.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROCEDURES
* Emergency medical procedures: [NIOSH to supply]
5. Rescue: Remove an incapacitated worker from further exposure and
implement appropriate emergency procedures (e.g., those listed on the
Material Safety Data Sheet required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard
[29 CFR 1910.1200]). All workers should be familiar with emergency
procedures, the location and proper use of emergency equipment, and methods
of protecting themselves during rescue operations.
EXPOSURE SOURCES AND CONTROL METHODS
The following operations may involve 4-methoxyphenol and lead to worker
exposures to this substance:
* The manufacture and transportation of 4-methoxyphenol * Use as a
non-discoloring antioxidant for fats, oils, vitamins, and cosmetics * Use
as an inhibitor for acrylic monomers, acrylonitriles, and various polymers *
Use as a stabilizer for chlorinated hydrocarbons and ethyl cellulose *
Use in the manufacture of plasticizers, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and other
chemicals * Use as an ultraviolet inhibitor
Methods that are effective in controlling worker exposures to
4-methoxyphenol, depending on the feasibility of implementation, are as
follows:
* Process enclosure * Local exhaust ventilation * General dilution
ventilation * Personal protective equipment
Workers responding to a release or potential release of a hazardous
substance must be protected as required by paragraph (q) of OSHA's Hazardous
Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard [29 CFR 1910.120].
Good sources of information about control methods are as follows:
1. ACGIH [1992]. Industrial ventilation--a manual of recommended
practice. 21st ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists.
2. Burton DJ [1986]. Industrial ventilation--a self study companion.
Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
3. Alden JL, Kane JM [1982]. Design of industrial ventilation systems.
New York, NY: Industrial Press, Inc.
4. Wadden RA, Scheff PA [1987]. Engineering design for control of
workplace hazards. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
5. Plog BA [1988]. Fundamentals of industrial hygiene. Chicago, IL:
National Safety Council.
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
OSHA is currently developing requirements for medical surveillance. When
these requirements are promulgated, readers should refer to them for
additional information and to determine whether employers whose employees are
exposed to 4-methoxyphenol are required to implement medical surveillance
procedures.
* Medical Screening
Workers who may be exposed to chemical hazards should be monitored
in a systematic program of medical surveillance that is intended to prevent
occupational injury and disease. The program should include education of
employers and workers about work-related hazards, early detection of adverse
health effects, and referral of workers for diagnosis and treatment. The
occurrence of disease or other work-related adverse health effects should
prompt immediate evaluation of primary preventive measures (e.g., industrial
hygiene monitoring, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment).
A medical surveillance program is intended to supplement, not replace, such
measures. To detect and control work-related health effects, medical
evaluations should be performed (1) before job placement, (2) periodically
during the term of employment, and (3) at the time of job transfer or
termination.
* Preplacement medical evaluation
Before a worker is placed in a job with a potential for exposure to
4-methoxyphenol, a licensed health care professional should evaluate and
document the worker's baseline health status with thorough medical,
environmental, and occupational histories, a physical examination, and
physiologic and laboratory tests appropriate for the anticipated occupational
risks. These should concentrate on the function and integrity of the eyes,
skin, respiratory system, and central nervous system. Medical surveillance
for respiratory disease should be conducted using the principles and methods
recommended by the American Thoracic Society.
A preplacement medical evaluation is recommended to assess medical
conditions that may be aggravated or may result in increased risk when a
worker is exposed to 4-methoxyphenol at or below the prescribed exposure
limit. The health care professional should consider the probable frequency,
intensity, and duration of exposure as well as the nature and degree of any
applicable medical condition. Such conditions (which should not be regarded
as absolute contraindications to job placement) include a history and other
findings consistent with diseases of the eyes, skin, respiratory system, or
central nervous system.
* Periodic medical evaluations
Occupational health interviews and physical examinations should be
performed at regular intervals during the employment period, as mandated by
any applicable Federal, State, or local standard. Where no standard exists
and the hazard is minimal, evaluations should be conducted every 3 to 5 years
or as frequently as recommended by an experienced occupational health
physician. Additional examinations may be necessary if a worker develops
symptoms attributable to 4-methoxyphenol exposure. The interviews,
examinations, and medical screening tests should focus on identifying the
adverse effects of 4-methoxyphenol on the eyes, skin, respiratory system, or
central nervous system. Current health status should be compared with the
baseline health status of the individual worker or with expected values for a
suitable reference population.
* Termination medical evaluations
The medical, environmental, and occupational history interviews, the
physical examination, and selected physiologic or laboratory tests that were
conducted at the time of placement should be repeated at the time of job
transfer or termination to determine the worker's medical status at the end
of his or her employment. Any changes in the worker's health status should
be compared with those expected for a suitable reference
population.
* Biological monitoring
Biological monitoring involves sampling and analyzing body tissues
or fluids to provide an index of exposure to a toxic substance or metabolite.
No biological monitoring test acceptable for routine use has yet been
developed for 4-methoxyphenol.
WORKPLACE MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT
Determination of a worker's exposure to airborne 4-methoxyphenol is made
using a XAD-7 tube (100/50 mg sections, 15/50 mesh). Samples are collected
at a maximum flow rate of 0.2 liter/minute (TWA) until a maximum collection
volume of 20 liters is reached. The sample is then treated with methanol.
Analysis is conducted by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector
(GC/FID). This method is described in the OSHA Computerized Information
System [OSHA 1994].
PERSONAL HYGIENE PROCEDURES
If 4-methoxyphenol contacts the skin, workers should flush the affected
areas immediately with plenty of water, followed by washing with soap and
water.
Clothing contaminated with 4-methoxyphenol should be removed immediately,
and provisions should be made for the safe removal of the chemical from the
clothing. Persons laundering the clothes should be informed of the hazardous
properties of 4-methoxyphenol, particularly its potential for causing skin
and eye irritation.
A worker who handles 4-methoxyphenol should thoroughly wash hands, forearms,
and face with soap and water before eating, using tobacco products, using
toilet facilities, applying cosmetics, or taking medication.
Workers should not eat, drink, use tobacco products, apply cosmetics, or
take medication in areas where 4-methoxyphenol is handled, processed, or
stored.
STORAGE
4-Methoxyphenol should be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area in
tightly sealed containers that are labeled in accordance with OSHA's Hazard
Communication Standard [29 CFR 1910.1200]. Containers of 4-methoxyphenol
should be protected from physical damage and should be stored separately from
oxidizing agents, strong bases, acid chlorides, and acid anhydrides.
SPILLS AND LEAKS
In the event of a spill or leak involving 4-methoxyphenol, persons not
wearing protective equipment and clothing should be restricted from
contaminated areas until cleanup has been completed. The following steps
should be undertaken following a spill or leak:
1. Do not touch the spilled material; stop the leak if it is possible to
do so without risk.
2. Notify safety personnel.
3. Remove all sources of heat and ignition.
4. Use non-sparking tools.
5. For liquid spills, take up with sand or other noncombustible absorbent
material and place into closed containers for later disposal.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements for emergency
planning, reportable quantities of hazardous releases, community
right-to-know, and hazardous waste management may change over time. Users are
therefore advised to determine periodically whether new information is
available.
* Emergency planning requirements
4-Methoxyphenol is not subject to EPA emergency planning
requirements under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
(Title III) in 42 USC 11022.
* Reportable quantity requirements for hazardous releases
A hazardous substance release is defined by EPA as any spilling,
leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting,
escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing into the environment (including the
abandonment or discarding of contaminated containers) of hazardous
substances. In the event of a release that is above the reportable quantity
for that chemical, employers are required to notify the proper Federal,
State, and local authorities [40 CFR 355.40].
Employers are not required by the emergency release notification
provisions in 40 CFR Part 355.40 to notify the National Response Center of an
accidental release of 4-methoxyphenol; there is no reportable quantity for
this substance.
* Community right-to-know requirements
Employers are not required by EPA in 40 CFR Part 372.30 to submit a
Toxic Chemical Release Inventory form (Form R) to EPA reporting the amount of
4-methoxyphenol emitted or released from their facility annually.
* Hazardous waste management requirements
EPA considers a waste to be hazardous if it exhibits any of the
following characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or
toxicity as defined in 40 CFR 261.21-261.24. Under the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) [40 USC 6901 et seq.], EPA has specifically listed
many chemical wastes as hazardous. Although 4-methoxyphenol is not
specifically listed as a hazardous waste under RCRA, EPA requires employers
to treat waste as hazardous if it exhibits any of the characteristics
discussed above.
Providing detailed information about the removal and disposal of
specific chemicals is beyond the scope of this guideline. The U.S.
Department of Transportation, EPA, and State and local regulations should be
followed to ensure that removal, transport, and disposal of this substance
are conducted in accordance with existing regulations. To be certain that
chemical waste disposal meets EPA regulatory requirements, employers should
address any questions to the RCRA hotline at (703) 412-9810 (in the
Washington, D.C. area) or toll-free at (800) 424-9346 (outside Washington,
D.C.). In addition, relevant State and local authorities should be contacted
for information on any requirements they may have for the waste removal and
disposal of this substance.
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
* Conditions for respirator use
Good industrial hygiene practice requires that engineering controls
be used where feasible to reduce workplace concentrations of hazardous
materials to the prescribed exposure limit. However, some situations may
require the use of respirators to control exposure. Respirators must be worn
if the ambient concentration of 4-methoxyphenol exceeds prescribed exposure
limits. Respirators may be used (1) before engineering controls have been
installed, (2) during work operations such as maintenance or repair
activities that involve unknown exposures, (3) during operations that require
entry into tanks or closed vessels, and (4) during emergencies. Workers
should only use respirators that have been approved by NIOSH and the Mine
Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
* Respiratory protection program
Employers should institute a complete respiratory protection program
that, at a minimum, complies with the requirements of OSHA's Respiratory
Protection Standard [29 CFR 1910.134]. Such a program must include
respirator selection, an evaluation of the worker's ability to perform the
work while wearing a respirator, the regular training of personnel,
respirator fit testing, periodic workplace monitoring, and regular respirator
maintenance, inspection, and cleaning. The implementation of an adequate
respiratory protection program (including selection of the correct
respirator) requires that a knowledgeable person be in charge of the program
and that the program be evaluated regularly. For additional information on
the selection and use of respirators and on the medical screening of
respirator users, consult the latest edition of the NIOSH Respirator Decision
Logic [NIOSH 1987b] and the NIOSH Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection
[NIOSH 1987a].
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Workers should use appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment
that must be carefully selected, used, and maintained to be effective in
preventing skin contact with 4-methoxyphenol. The selection of the
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g., gloves, sleeves,
encapsulating suits) should be based on the extent of the worker's potential
exposure to 4-methoxyphenol. There are no published reports on the
resistance of various materials to permeation by 4-methoxyphenol.
To evaluate the use of PPE materials with 4-methoxyphenol, users should
consult the best available performance data and manufacturers'
recommendations. Significant differences have been demonstrated in the
chemical resistance of generically similar PPE materials (e.g., butyl)
produced by different manufacturers. In addition, the chemical resistance of
a mixture may be significantly different from that of any of its neat
components.
Any chemical-resistant clothing that is used should be periodically
evaluated to determine its effectiveness in preventing dermal contact. Safety
showers and eye wash stations should be located close to operations that
involve 4-methoxyphenol.
Splash-proof chemical safety goggles or face shields (20 to 30 cm long,
minimum) should be worn during any operation in which a solvent, caustic, or
other toxic substance may be splashed into the eyes.
In addition to the possible need for wearing protective outer apparel (e.g.,
aprons, encapsulating suits), workers should wear work uniforms, coveralls,
or similar full-body coverings that are laundered each day. Employers should
provide lockers or other closed areas to store work and street clothing
separately. Employers should collect work clothing at the end of each work
shift and provide for its laundering. Laundry personnel should be informed
about the potential hazards of handling contaminated clothing and instructed
about measures to minimize their health risk.
Protective clothing should be kept free of oil and grease and should be
inspected and maintained regularly to preserve its effectiveness.
Protective clothing may interfere with the body's heat dissipation,
especially during hot weather or during work in hot or poorly ventilated work
environments.
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