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: ------- |