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Ethylene dichloride
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 107–06–2
NIOSH REL: 1 ppm (4 mg/m3) TWA, 2 ppm (8 mg/m3) STEL; NIOSH considers ethylene dichloride to be a potential occupational carcinogen as defined by the OSHA carcinogen policy [29 CFR 1990].
Current OSHA PEL: 50 ppm TWA, 100 ppm CEILING,
200 ppm 5-minute MAXIMUM PEAK in any 3 hours
1989 OSHA PEL: 1 ppm (4 mg/m3) TWA, 2 ppm (8 mg/m3) STEL
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 10 ppm (40 mg/m3) TWA
Description of Substance: Colorless liquid with a pleasant, chloroform-like odor.
LEL:. . 6.2% (10% LEL, 6,200 ppm)
Original (SCP) IDLH: 1,000 ppm
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the maximum time-concentration in air of 1,000 ppm which was survived by female rats for 1.5 hours [Spencer et al. 1951 cited by Patty 1963]. The chosen IDLH is further supported by the rat 4-hour LCLO of 1,000 ppm [Carpenter et al. 1949 cited by NIOSH 1976].
Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed
ACUTE TOXICITY DATA
Lethal concentration data:
| Species | Reference | LC50(ppm) | LCLo(ppm) | Time | Adjusted 0.5-hrLC (CF) | Derivedvalue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MouseRat
Rabbit G. pig Monkey Rat |
Arch Exp Pathol Pharmacol 1929Carpenter et al. 1949
Heppel et al. 1945 Heppel et al. 1945 Marhold 1986 Spencer et al. 1951 |
———-
—– 3,000 —– 1,000 |
1,2171,000
3,000 1,500 —– —– |
2 hr4 hr
7 hr 7 hr 7 hr 7 hr |
1,947 ppm (1.6)2,000 ppm (2.0)
7,200 ppm (2.4) 3,600 ppm (2.4) 7,200 ppm (2.4) 2,400 ppm (2.4) |
195 ppm200 ppm
720 ppm 360 ppm 720 ppm 240 ppm |
Other animal data: It has been reported that female rats survived a 1.5-hour exposure to 1,000 ppm [Spencer et al. 1951].
Human data: In one study, 1 of 6 workers reported symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness from exposures between 10 and 37 ppm [Brzozowski et al. 1954].
| Revised IDLH: 50 ppmBasis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for ethylene dichloride is 50 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in workers [Brzozowski et al. 1954]. [Note: NIOSH recommends as part of its carcinogen policy that the “most protective” respirators be worn for ethylene dichloride at concentrations above 1 ppm.] |
REFERENCES:
1. Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol [1929]; 141:19.
2. Brzozowski J, Czajka J, Dutkiewicz T, et al. [1954]. Work hygiene and the health condition of workers occupied in combating the letinotarsa decemlineata with HCH and dichloroethane. Med Pr 5:89-98 (in Polish). [From ACGIH [1991]. Ethylene dichloride. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices. 6th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 609-611.]
3. Carpenter CP, Smyth HF Jr, Pozzani UC [1949]. The assay of acute vapor toxicity, and the grading and interpretation of results on 96 chemical compounds. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 31(6):343-346.
4. Heppel LA, Neal PA, Perrin TL, Endicott KM, Porterfield VT [1945]. The toxicity of 1,2-dichloroethane (ethylene dichloride). III. Its acute toxicity and the effect of protective agents. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 84(1):53-63.
5. Marhold J [1986]. Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie, Organicke Latky. Prague, Czechoslovakia: Avicenum, p. 93 (in Czechoslovakian).
6. NIOSH [1976]. KI05250. Ethane, 1,2-dichloro-. In: Registry of toxic effects of chemical substances, 1976 ed. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 76-191, p. 489.
7. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1281.
8. Spencer HC, Rowe VK, Adams EM, McCollister DD, Irish DD [1951]. Vapor toxicity of ethylene dichloride determined by experiments on laboratory animals. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med 4:482-493.