1,2-Dichloroethane

Environmental Sources

1,2-Dichloroethane is a manufactured chemical that is not found naturally in the environment. It is clear and has a pleasant smell and a sweet taste. It is also called 1,2-ethylene dichloride, dichloroethylene, or ethylene dichloride. Its most common use today is to make vinyl chloride and other chemicals and to dissolve grease, glue, and dirt. It is also added to leaded gasoline to remove lead. In the past, 1,2-dichloroethane was used in home products such as cleaning solutions and paint removers. It is rarely used in these products today.

Health effects

Breathing high levels of 1,2-dichloroethane results in many harmful effects to people. It causes damage to the heart, central nervous system, liver, kidneys, and lungs. These same effects have been seen in people who accidentally ingested high levels of the chemical.

Exposure limits

- The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a limit in drinking water of 0.005 parts of 1,2-dichloroethane per million parts of water (0.005 ppm). EPA requires that discharges or spills into the environment of 100 pounds or more of 1,2-dichloroethane be reported.

- The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set an occupational exposure limit of 50 parts of 1,2-dichloroethane per million parts of air (50 ppm) for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.

- The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recommended an occupational exposure limit of 1 ppm of 1,2-dichloroethane for a 10-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.

Sources & links:

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts38.html

www.occuphealth.fi/ttl/projekti/htp/english/syn_eng.htm

www.modcon.co.il/exposure.htm

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