Emerging Contaminant-
1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP)
April 2008
FACT SHEET
Introduction
At a Glance
* Colorless to straw-colored liquid.
* Not found in nature - completely
man-made.
* Exposure from industrial settings or
hazardous waste sites.
* Not likely to sorb to soil and has
low solubility in water. In the pure
form, likely to exist as a dense
nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL).
* Federal maximum contaminant
level (MCL) not established.
* EPA Region 9 identifies preliminary
remediation goals (PRGs) for
various matrices and has
established a notification level (NL)
for drinking water.
* Numerous methods are available
for TCP detection.
* Remediation technologies available
to treat TCP contamination in
ground water and soil include
granular activated carbon (GAC)
and soil vapor extraction (SVE),
among others.
An "emerging contaminant" is a chemical or material that is characterized
by a perceived, potential or real threat to human health or the
environment or lack of published health standards. A contaminant may
also be "emerging" because of the discovery of a new source or a new
pathway to humans, or a new detection method or treatment technology
(DoD 2007).
This fact sheet, developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO),
provides a brief summary for 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP), including
physical and chemical properties; environmental and health impacts;
existing federal and state guidelines; detection and treatment methods;
and additional sources of information.
TCP is an emerging contaminant that is of interest to the government,
private sector, and other parties. It is recognized by the State of
California to cause cancer and is a known toxin. This fact sheet is
intended for use by site managers and other field personnel in
addressing TCP contamination at a cleanup site or in a drinking water
supply.
What is 1,2,3-TCP?
* Synonyms include allyl trichloride, glycerol trichlorohydrin, and
trichlorohydrin (Barbalace 2007).
* TCP is exclusively a man-made chemical (Dombeck and Borg 2005;
TOSC2007).
* TCP has been used as an industrial solvent, as a cleaning and
degreasing agent, and in the production of pesticides (NTP 2005;
TOSC 2007).
* TCP is currently used as a chemical intermediate in the creation of
other chemicals, including polysulfone liquid polymers and
dichloropropene, and in the synthesis of hexafluoropropylene. In
addition, it is used as a crosslinking agent in the creation of
polysulfides (NTP 2005).
«:« TCP is a chlorinated hydrocarbon (Stepek 2003).
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5106P)
1
EPA 505-F-07-008
April 2008
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Exhibit 1: Physical and Chemical Properties of 1,2,3-TCP
(NTP 2005; ATSDR 1992; Dombeck and Borg 2005; WHO 2003; OSHA 2007)
Property
CAS Number
Physical Description (at room temperature)
Molecular weight (g/mol)
Water solubility (mg/L)
Boiling point (°C)
Vapor pressure at 25°C (mm Hg)
Specific gravity
Octanol- water partition coefficient (log KOW)
Soil organic carbon-water partition coefficient
(logKoc)
Henry's law constant (atm nfVmol)
Value
96-18-4
Colorless to straw-colored liquid
147.43
1,750 (slightly soluble)
156.8
3.1
1.39
1 .98 to 2.27 (temperature dependent)
1.70 to 1.99 (temperature dependent)
4.087 xlO'4
Notes: g/mol - gram per mole; mg/L - milligrams per liter; °C - degrees Celsius;
mm Hg - millimeters of mercury.
What are the of 1,2,3-TCP?
*> TCP is not likely to sorb to soil based on its low
soil organic carbon-water partition coefficient;
therefore, is likely to leach from soil into ground
water (TOSC 2007).
*> TCP will sink to the bottom of a ground water
aquifer because it has a density greater than
water (TOSC 2007). Therefore, in pure form,
TCP is likely to exist as DNAPL (Stepek 2003).
<« TCP is typically found at industrial or hazardous
waste sites.
are the of 1,2,3-TCP?
TCP evaporates from surface soil and water
(ATSDR 1995).
When in the atmosphere, TCP is subject to
photodegradation, with a half-life of 15 days
(ATSDR 1995).
Because of its low bioconcentration factor (BCF
~ 9.2), TCP is unlikely to become concentrated
in plants, fish, or other seafood (ATSDR 1992,
1995).
Exposure occurs through vapor inhalation,
dermal exposure, or ingestion (NTP 2005).
Exposure is most likely to occur near hazardous
waste sites where TCP was improperly stored or
disposed, or at locations that manufacture the
chemical (ATSDR 1992, 1995).
TCP is recognized by the State of California as a
human carcinogen (State of California 2007).
Animal studies have shown that long-term TCP
exposure may cause kidney failure, reduced
body weight, and increased incidences of
tumors within numerous organs (Stepek 2003;
NTP 2005; ATSDR 1992).
Short-term exposure through inhalation of 100
parts per million (ppm) can cause eye and throat
irritation (ATSDR 1995) and can affect
concentration and muscle coordination
(Stepek 2003).
Are for 1,2,3-
TCP?
*> The California Department of Health Services
(DHS) has established a NL of 0.005 parts per
billion (ppb) for drinking water based on a 10"
cancer risk (DHS 2006).
No federal or state MCLs have been set for
TCP.
1-6
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\re there any existing fedeial and state guidelines and standaids for 1,2,3-
TirP*? t^nmf'tnnaill
TCP?
The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) has established a
permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ppm
(OSHA 2007).
The National Institute of Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) has set a recommended
exposure limit (REL) of 10 ppm (60 milligrams
per cubic meter [mg/m3]) and an immediately
dangerous to life and health (IDLH) level of 100
ppm (NTP 2005).
The EPA Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS) lists a no observed adverse effect limit
(NOAEL) of 5.71 mg/kg/day, a lowest observed
adverse effect limit (LOAEL) of 11.4 mg/kg/day,
and an oral reference dose (RfD) of 0.006
mg/kg/day (EPA 2007).
The American Conference of Industrial
Hygienists (ACGIH) has set a threshold limit
value - time-weighted average limit (TLV-TWA)
of 10 ppm (NTP 2005).
The Health Effects Assessment Summary
Tables (HEAST) identifies an oral cancer slope
factor of 7.0 per mg/kg-day (EPA 1997).
What are for 1,2,3-TCP?
»:« EPA Method 8260B (based on gas
chromatography [GC]/mass spectrometry [MS])
for solid matrices (Stepek2003).
»:* EPA Method 504.1 (based on microextraction
and GC) for ground water and drinking water
(Stepek2003; EPA1995a).
<• EPA Method 551.1 (based on liquid-liquid
extraction and GC with electron-capture
detection) for drinking water, water being
treated, and raw source water (Stepek 2003;
EPA 1990).
What are to 1,2,3-TCP?
EPA Method 524.2 for surface water, ground
water, and drinking water in any stage of water
treatment (Stepek 2003; EPA 1995b).
California DHS has developed a method based
on liquid-liquid extraction and GC and purge and
trap GC for trace-level detection of TCP in
drinking water (DHS 2002a, 2002b).
Treatment technologies for ground water that
are available for remediation of chlorinated
hydrocarbons include pump and treat,
permeable reactive barriers, in situ oxidation,
biodegradation, and dechlorination by hydrogen
release compound (Stepek 2003).
TCP in water can be removed using GAG
(Molnaa 2003; Dombeck and Borg 2005).
TCP in soil may be removed by SVE
(TOSC 2007).
Treatment for TCP in ground water has been
successful using ultraviolet (UV) radiation and
chemical oxidation with potassium
permanganate (Dombeck and Borg 2005;
Stepek 2003).
Laboratory-scale use of an oxidation process
(HiPOx) using ozone and hydrogen peroxide for
removal of TCP from ground water has been
successful (Dombeck and Borg 2005).
Where I about 1,2,3-TCP?
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1992. "Toxicological Profile
for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane." Atlanta, Georgia:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Public Health Service.
ATSDR. 1995. ToxFAQs-
Trichloropropane."
'1,2,3-
Barbalace, Kenneth. 2007. Chemical Database
— 1,2,3-Trichloropropane.
http://EnvironmentalChemistrv.com/
yog i/chemicals/cn/1.2,3-Trichloropropane.html.
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Where can I information about 1,2,3-TCP? (continued)
California Department of Heath Services (DHS).
2002a. Determination of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane
in Drinking Water by Continuous Liquid-Liquid
Extraction and Gas Chromatography/Mass
Spectrometry.
DHS. 2002b. Determination of 1,2,3-
Trichloropropane in Drinking Water by Purge
and Trap Gas Chromatography/Mass
Spectrometry.
DHS. 2006. Drinking Water Notification Levels
and Response Levels: An Overview.
Department of Defense (DoD). 2007. Emerging
Contaminants.
www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/Librarv/IV1ERIT/
merit.html.
Dombeck, Glenn, and Charles Borg. 2005.
"Multi-contaminant Treatment for 1,2,3
Trichloropropane Destruction Using the HiPOx
Reactor." Reprinted from the Proceedings of the
2005 NGWA Conference on MTBE and
Perchlorate: Assessment, Remediation, and
Public Policy with permission of the National
Ground Water Association Press. Copyright
2005. ISBN #1-56034-120-3.
Molnaa, Barry. 2003. "1,2,3-TCP California's
Newest Emerging Contaminant" PowerPoint
Presentation, ENTECH 2003.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA). 2007. "OSHA/EPA Occupational
Chemical Database." .
www.osha.gov/web/dep/chemicaldata/
CHEMICALRESULT.asp?RecNo=163.
State of California. 2007. "Chemicals Known to
the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive
Toxicity."
www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65 list/files/0601
07LST.pdf.
Stepek, Jan. 2003. "Ground Water Information
Sheet 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP)." SWRCB
- Division of Clean Water Programs, Ground
Water Special Studies Unit.
Technical Outreach Services for Communities
(TOSC). 2004. "Hazardous Substance Fact
Sheet 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (1,2,3-TCP)."
Western Region Hazardous Substance
Research Center Oregon State University.
February. Available on-line at
http://tosc.oregonstate.edu/about/news/newslett
ers/TCP%20FACT%20SHEET FINAL.pdf.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
2005. "Substance Profiles Report on
Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition." Public Health
Service, National Toxicology Program (NTP).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
1990. Method 551.1, Determination of
Chlorination Disinfection Byproducts,
Chlorinated Solvents, and Halogenated
Pesticides/Herbicides in Drinking Water by
Liquid-Liquid Extraction and Gas
Chromatography with Electron-Capture
Detection.
EPA. 1995a. Method 504.1, 1,2-
Dibromoethane (EDB), 1,2-Dibromo-3-
chloropropane (DBCP), and 1,2,3-
Trichloropropane (123TCP) in Water by
Microextraction and Gas Chromatography.
National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office
of Research and Development.
EPA. 1995b. Method 524.2, Measurement of
Purgeable Organic Compounds in Water by
Capillary Column Gas Chromatography/Mass
Spectrometry. National Exposure Research
Laboratory, Office of Research and
Development.
EPA. 1997. "Health Effects Assessment
Summary Tables (HEAST) FY 1997 Update".
EPA 540/R-97-036-PB97-921199. Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
EPA. 2007. Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS). 1,2,3-Trichloropropane.
www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0200.htm.
World Health Organization (WHO). 2003.
"Concise International Chemical Assessment
Document 56, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane."
Contact
If you have any questions or comments on this fact sheet, please contact: Mary Cooke, FFRRO, by phone at
(703) 603-8712 or by e-mail at cooke.marvt@epa.gov.
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