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FACT SHEET ON A DRINKING WATER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Synonyms.
•	1,2-DCE, trans-1,2-DCE; 1,2-Dichloroethene;
Acetylene Dichloride; sym-Dichloroethylene
Chemical Description:
•	A volatile synthetic compound with no known
natural sources
» Usually found in the form of a mixture of both
the cis- and trans- isomers (cis-1,2-DCE and
trans-1,2-DCE)
Properties:
•	A clear, colorless, flammable liquid
•	Relatively high vapor pressure
•	Moderately soluble in wafer
Production and Use:
•	Used primarily as a captive intermediate in the
production of other chlorinated solvents, and
as an extraction solvent for meat and fish oils
and fats
ENVIRON MENTAL PROFILE
Occurrence:
•	Major source of exposure is from
contaminated water except in areas near
production sites where air exposures may
dominate
•	Monitoring studies have found that both the
cis- and trans- isomers occur as widespread
low level contaminants of ground water, and
occur in surface waters at even lower amounts
•	The cis- isomer is reported to occur in drinking
wafer at higher levels than the trans- isomer
•	Co-occurs with frichloroethylen©
•	Both isomers (especially the cis- isomer) have
been identified as degradation products of
trichloroethyiene and tetrachloraefhylene
leieosw:
•	Releases to the environment are exDected to
be small, with the majority of releases
emanating from manufacturing plants in the
Gulf Region of the U.S
Environmental Fat»:
•	Little direct information, tout the behavior of
the compounds has been extrapolated from
information on similar chlorinated compounds:
•	Released to the atmosphere: exoec'ec 'c
chemically degrade in a matter of hours
•	Released to surface waters: slightly persistent
in water; expected to volatilize rapidly to air
(major route of removal); chemically staoie
in water, but may biodegrade to vinyl
chloride in some ground waters; not itkeiy
adsorb to suspended solids or sediment
•	Released fo soil: will not adsorb strongly to
soils (moderately mobile in sotls) wsth
moderate potential fo migrate to ground
wafers: will volatilize to the atmosphere from
soil surface
•	tow potential for bioaccumulation
HEALTH EFFECTS
Humans:
» At high concentrations, the dichloroethylenes,
like other chlorinated ethylenes, possess
anesthetic properties
•	The trans- isomer is approximately twice as
potent as the cis- isomer in its ability to depress
the central nervous system (CNS)
Experimental Animals:
•	Short-term, high doses can cause narcosis and
death in rats in four hours
•	Long-term, high doses cause degenerative
effects upon the liver, and the circulatory ana
immunological systems
•	Non-mutagenic
•	No information found in the available literature
on the teratogenic, fetotoxic, or carcinogenic
potential trans-1,2-DCE

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REGULATORY PROFILE
Health Agyisones
Existing Standards:
•Clean Air Act (CAA): Not regulated
•Clean Water Act CWA):
Criteria established
•Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA):
Hazardous waste
•Superfund (CERCLA):
•Hazardous substance
•SARA: Toxic chemical
•Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA):
Not registered
•Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA);
Not regulated
HEALTH INFORMATION
Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG):
•	Non-enforceable levels based solely on an
evaluation of possible health risks and
exposure, and taking into consideration a
margin for public safety
•	Set at 0.1 mg/i to protect against damage to
the liver, and circulatory and nervous systems
MCLG for frans-1,2-DCE = 0,1 mg/L
(effective July 1992)
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL):
» legally enforceable levels for contaminants in
public drinking water supplies
•	Based on health risks associated with the
contaminants, analytical methods for their
assay, and water treatment feasibility and
practicality aspects
•	Exceedance of the MCI in drinking water may
result in adverse effects which will depend
upon the contaminant concentration in water,
amount of water/contaminant ingested,
length of exposure, and other biological
parameters
MCL for trans- 1,2-DCE = 0.1 mg/L
(effective July 1992)
EPA Health Advisories (HA):
•	Short-term HAs: Provide acceptable
concentrations of contaminants in water for
up to 10 day exposures, primarily to evaluate
the public health risk resulting from an
accidental spill or an emergency
contamination situation
•	longer-term HAs: Provide guidance for
persistent water contamination situations to
cover a period of up to 7 years
•	Lifetime HAs: Derived in the same way as an
MCLG
Short-term HA for a child = 2.0 mg. L
Longer-term HA for a child = 2.0 mg L
Longer-term HA for an adult = 6.0 mg, L
Lifetime HA = 0.01 mg/L
ANALYTICAL METHODS
•	Purge and Trap Gas Chromatography:
EPA Method 502,1
EPA Method 503.1
•	Purge and Trap Column Gas Chromatography
with Photoionization and Electrolytic
Conductivity Defectors in Series:
EPA Method 502.2
•	Purged Column Gas Chromatography/ Mass
Spectrometry:
EPA Method 524.1
•	Capillary Column Gas Chromatography/Mass
Spectrometry:
EPA Method 524,2
WATER TREATMENT
Permanent Treatment:
•	Best Available Technology (BAT):
•	Granular Activated Carbon
•	Packed Tower Aeration
SHORT-TERM HAZARD ELIMINATION
•	If the drinking water standards are exceeded,
install SAT or use an alternative drinking wafer
supply such as bottled water
ADDITIONAL HELP
•	State or county health officials can indicate a
certified laboratory 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 qualify,
treatment technologies, for obtaining Health
Advisories, and for other regulatory information
•	EPA Hotlines are available Monday througn
Friday
•Safe Drinking Water	800-426-4791
•National Pesticides:	800-858-7378
•Superfund/RCRA:	800-424-9346
•	For information on the Clean Wafer Act, call
(202) 260-7301
•	For information on the Toxic Substances
Control Act, call (202) 554-1404
« For information on the Clean Air Act, call
(919) 541-2777

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