United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4601
EPA 811-F-95-004S-T
October 1995
National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
CHEMICAL/ PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
CAS NUMBER: 79-00-5
COLOR/ FORM/ODOR:
Clear liquid with a pleasant, chloro-
form-like odor
M.P.: -36.6° C B.P.: 113.8'C
VAPOR PRESSURE: 23 mm Hg at 25° C
OCTANOL/WATER PARTITION (Kow):
Log Kow = 2.17
DENSITY/SPEC. GRAV.: 1.4 at 20° C
SOLUBILITY: 4.4 g/L of water at 20° C;
Soluble in water
ODOR/TASTE THRESHOLDS: N/A
BlOCONCENTRATION FACTOR:
BCF <1 in fish; not expected to biocon-
centrate in aquatic organisms.
HENRY'S LAW COEFFICIENT:
8.24x10-* atm-cu m/mole;
SOIL SORPTION COEFFICIENT:
Koc measured at 83 to 209; moderate TRADE NAMES/SYNONYMS:
to high mobility in soil Beta-trichloroethane; Beta-T; Vinyl
trichloride
DRINKING WATER STANDARDS
MCLG: 0.003 mg/L
MCL: 0.005 mg/L
HAL(child): 1 day: 0.6 mg/L
Longer-term: 0.4 mg/L
HEALTH EFFECTS SUMMARY
Acute: EPA has found 1,1,2-trichloroethane (1,1,2-
TCE) to potentially cause the following health effects
from acute exposures at levels above the MCL: irritation
of gastrointestinal tract; red or hemorrhaged lungs; pale
liver.
Drinking water levels which are considered "safe" for
short-term exposures: Fora 10-kg (22 Ib.) child consum-
ing 1 liter of water per day: a one-day exposure of 0.6 mg/
L; upto a 7-year exposure to 0.4 mg/L.
Chronic: 1,1,2-TCE has the potential to cause the
following health effects from long-term exposures at
levels above the MCL: damage to liver and kidneys.
Cancer: There is some evidence that 1,1,2-TCE may
have the potential to cause cancer from a lifetime expo-
sure at levels above the MCL.
USAGE PATTERNS
1,1,2-Trichloroethane is only important as an interme-
diate in the production of 1,1-dichloroethylene (vinyli-
dene chloride) and to some extent for the synthesis of
tetrachloroethanes. It is also used in adhesives, produc-
tion of teflon tubing, in lacquer and coating formulations,
and as a solvent for fats, oils, waxes, etc.
An estimated 124 million Ibs. of 1,1,2-TCE was pro-
duced in the US during 1974, based on the manufacture
of vinylidene chloride.
RELEASE PATTERNS
1,1,2-Trichloroethane will enter the atmosphere from
its use in the manufacture of vinylidene chloride and its
use as a solvent. It will also be discharged in wastewater
associated with these uses and in leachates and volatile
emissions from landfills. The EPA estimates the gross
annual discharge of 1,1,2-TCE waste in the US to be 4
million Ibs.
From 1987 to 1993, according to EPA's Toxic Chemi-
Toxic RELEASE INVENTORY -
RELEASES TO WATER AND LAND:
1987 TO 1993
Water
TOTALS (in pounds) 30,326
Top Five States*
LA 14,481
TX 9,699
NY 4,570
MD 750
KY 447
Major Industries*
Alkalies, chlorine 21,783
Photograph equipment 4,570
Meat packing plants 981
Petroleum refining 959
Blast furnaces, steelworks 750
Land
756
332
294
130
0
0
361
130
0
0
0
* Water/Land totals only include facilities with releases
greater than a certain amount - usually 1000 to 10,000 Ibs.
October 1995
Technical Version
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cal Release Inventory, 1,1,2-TCE releases to land and
watertotalled over 30,000 IDS., of which about 98 percent
was to water. These releases were primarily from alkalis
and chlorine industries which use it as an intermediate in
chemical manufacture. The largest releases occurred in
Louisiana and Texas.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
When released into water, 1,1,2-trichloroethane should
primarily evaporate. Little of the chemical will be lost by
adsorption to sediment or by biodegradation. Aquatic
hydrolysis is not expected to be important.
Once in the atmosphere, 1,1,2-trichloroethane will
photodegrade slowly by reaction with hydroxyl radicals
(half-life 24-50 days in unpolluted atmospheres to a few
days in polluted atmospheres).
When released to land 1,1,2-trichloroethane should
partially volatilize and partially leach into the groundwa-
ter. Experimentally determined Koc values of 83-209
indicated that 1,1,2-trichloroethane will be moderately to
highly mobile in soil. Several biodegradation screening
studies have determined that 1,1,2-trichloroethane is
resistantto biodegradation. Other screening studies have
observed biotransformation under anaerobic conditions.
Biodegradation in groundwater or subsurface regions
may occur, but appears to be very slow.
1,1,2-Trichloroethane would not be expected to biocon-
centrate since the experimental log BCF in fish was
reported to be <1.
Primary human exposure is from occupational expo-
sure and from ambient air in the vicinity of industrial
sources and contaminated drinking water.
OTHER REGULATORY INFORMATION
MONITORING:
FOR GROUND/SURFACE WATER SOURCES:
INITIAL FREQUENCY- 4 quarterly samples every 3 years
REPEAT FREQUENCY- Annually after 1 year of no detection
TRIGGERS - Return to Initial Freq. if detect at > 0.0005 mg/L
ANALYSIS:
REFERENCE SOURCE
EPA 600/4-88-039
METHOD NUMBERS
502.2; 524.2
TREATMENT:
BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES
Granular Activated Charcoal and Packed Tower Aeration
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
* EPA can provide further regulatory and other general information:
EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline - 800/426-4791
* Other sources of toxicological and environmental fate data include:
• Toxic Substance Control Act Information Line - 202/554-1404
Toxics Release Inventory, National Library of Medicine - 301/496-6531
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry - 404/639-6000
October 1995
Technical Version
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