I
1,2-DICHLOROETH ANE
JS& sr*V
* A *.
<
«
t
FACT SHEET ON A DRINKING WATER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Synonyms:
•	Ethylene Dichioride; EDC; 1,2-Dlchloroethane
Chemical Description:
•	Synthetic organic compound; no natural sources
Properties:
•	Clear, volatile, oily liquid
•	Boiling point 33.7°C
Production and Use:
•	Production in 1983 wcs 12 billion pounds
•	Major use is in production of vinyl chloride
•	Minor uses are as a starting material for production of
other solvents, a lead scavenger in gasoline, metal
aegreaser, ana an aaditive to solvents, paints, and
aahesives
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE
Occurrence:
•	Common in air in urPan areas at concentrations less
than 0.2 parts per billion
•	Surface waters contain 0.5 to 20 parts per million-
higher levels than ground water
•	No available information on EDC In food
Releases:
•	Releases result mainly from EDC use as a solvent and
metal cleaner
•	Released primarily to air with smaller amounts to
surface ana grouna waters
Environmental Fate:
•	Degrades in air within a few months
•	Photooxiaation is its predominant fate
•	Binas to sail but aaa migrates to ground water where
it may remain for months to years
HEALTH EFFECTS
Humans:
•	Acute oral poisoning causes central nervous system
(CNS) disordersand may cause adverse lung. kianey,
liver, circulatory, ana gastrointestinal effects; aeath
most often aue to circulatory ana respiratory failure
•	Data are inadeduate to categorically state that EDC
is a human carcinogen; however, there is ampie
animal aata to classify EDC as a group B2 carcinogen,
a proPaPie human carcinogen
Experimental Animals:
•	Single oral doses in mammals—CMS depression,
cardiovascular collapse, renal damage, aeath
•	Long-term inhalation exposure for 8 months in various
mammalian species—lung congestion, myocarditis,
degenerative changes in liver, kidney, aarenai. and
heart, ana increasea clotting time
•	No reproductive or developmental effects reported
in mice following oral doses
•	Oral aoses for 78 weeks in rats—cancer of stomach,
circulatory system, and mammary gianas ana in
mice—cancer of mammary gianas ana lungs
•	Mutagenic in some in vitro bacterial tests
REGULATORY HISTORY
Existing Standards:
•	Clean Air Act (CAA): Being considered for listing
•	Clean Water Act (CWA): Registered
•	Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA):
Listea for grouna-water monitoring
•	Superfund (CERCtA): Reportapie Quantity 100
pounds
•	SARA: listed
•	Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodentlcide
Act (FIFRA): Not available
•	Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): Nat on
inventory

-------
HEALTH INFORMATION
ANALYTICAL METHODS
Maximum Contaminant Lev«l Goals (MCIG):
•	Non-enforceable levels based solely on an evalua-
tion of possible neaitn risks ana exposure, ana taking
into consicercrion a margin for public safety
•	Set at zero for cancer-causing chemicals in water
MCLG for EDC - 0 mg/L
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL):
•	Legally enforceaoie levels forcontaminants in pupilc
drinking water supplies
•	Basea on health risks associated with the
contaminants, analytical methoas for their assay,
and water treatment feasibility and practicality
aspects
MCL for EDC » 0.005 mg/L (aaoptea 7/8/87)
EPA Health Advisories (HA):
•	Short-term has: Proviae acceptable concentrations
of contaminants in water for up to 10 aay exposures,
primarily to evaluate the public health risk resulting
from an accidental spill or an emergency
contamination situation
•	Longer-term HAs: Proviae guiaance for persistent
water contamination situations to cover a period of
up to 7 years
•	Litetime HAs: Derived in the same way as an MCLG
Hearth Advisories:
Short-term HA for a child ¦ 0.74 mg/L
Longer-term HA for a child ¦ 0.74 mg/L
Longer-term HA for an adutt ¦ 2.6 mg/L
•	Gas chromatography
EPA Merhoa 502
WATER TREATMENT
Permanent Treatment:
Best Available Technology (BAT):
-	granular activiatea carpon aasorption
-	aeration
-	boiling
-	air stripping
SHORT-TERM HAZARD ELIMINATION
•	If the drinking water standards are exceeded, install
BAT or use an alternative drinking waier supply 3ucn
as bottled water
•	Boiling for 5 to 10 minutes effectively removes 88% to
98% of EDC originally present—potential inhalation
hazard
ADDITIONAL HELP
•	State or county health officials can inaicate a certifiea
laporatory for testing
•	Experts in the state Department of Environmental
Protection or Natural Resources may also be of help
•	The EPA has toll-free numbers for further information
on drinking water auaiity, treatment tecnnologies,
for obtaining Health Advisories, and for other
regulatory information
•	EPA Hotlines are available Monday through Friday,
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST:
•Safe Drinking Water. 800-426-4791
800-631-2700
800-858-PEST
800-424-9346
800-343-3958
•	For information on the Clean Water Act, call (202)
260-7301
•	For information on the Toxic Substances Control Act,
call (202) 554-1404
•Air Quality:
•National Pesticides:
•Superfund/RCRA:

-------