Document XzYKJvqMGmBKGrqyJY41JD1Bx
RECEIVED NOV 2 6 1990
UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION Chemicals & Plastics Company, Inc. Health Safety & Environmental Affairs
39 Old Ridgebury Road Danbury, CT 06817 Location P-2
TO: R. E. Plevan Danbury
DATE: November 21, 1990
COPY TO:
B. Ballantyne M. R. Huffman T. R. Tyler
SUBJECT: Vinyl Chloride
In response to your recent request, I have quickly surveyed the available information on the acute toxicity of the vinyl chloride. In particular, you requested guidance regarding the appropriate Emergency Response Guideline (ERG) for vinyl chloride monomer. The ERG is the maximum airborne concentration below which it is believed that nearly all individuals could be exposed for up to one hour without experiencing or developing irreversible or other serious health effects or symptoms that could impair their abilities to take protective action.
Pertinent information regarding the acute inhalation toxicity of vinyl chloride has been summarized below.
There are numerous studies describing the acute effects of vinyl chloride exposure in animals; these studies indicate that mortality is not elicited in animals with 1-hour exposures until concentrations in excess of 100,000 ppm are achieved. Prolonged and repeated exposure to lesser concentrations (1000-10,000 ppm) are well tolerated.
Vinyl chloride monomer was once utilized as an anesthetic; concentrations of 10 to 20 percent (100,000 to 200,000 ppm) were used. Difficulties encountered because of flammability, induction of cardiac arrhythmias, and high volumes required to produce surgical anesthesia discouraged its use.
Several reference texts indicate that signs of central nervous system effects occur at concentrations in excess of 1000 ppm, however the actual concentration and duration of exposure are not indicated. More definitive studies on the acute effects of vinyl chloride in humans indicate that acute exposures to concentrations in excess of 8,000 ppm produce varying degrees of early intoxication in some subjects, experienced as dizziness,
UCC 107956
R. E. Plevan November 21, 1990
lightheadedness, and nausea. In studies conducted by Dow, some subjects exposure to 6,600 ppm for 30 minutes experienced dizziness, drowsiness, loss of equilibrium, and persistent nausea. Exposure to lower concentrations (780 - 4,100 ppm) for l hour resulted in no definite response, except slight nausea, headache, and sleepiness in two individuals exposed to 1,400 ppm.
Recommendations
in view of the potential for early intoxication noted in some individuals at concentrations of 8,000 and 6,600 ppm, an ERG of 5,000 ppm is recommended. This represents the maximum concentration that would afford protection against central nervous system effects for the majority of exposed personnel.
Very truly yours,
Carol J. Maslansky, Ph.D.,
11/13/90 11/21/90
.A.B.T
UCC 107957
EMERGENCY EXPOSURE PLANNING GUIDELINE DOCUMENTATION
CHEMICAL: SYNONYMS:
VINYL CHLORIDE_______________________________________________________________ Chioroethene, VCM '
DATE: 11/10/86
WORKPLACE EXPOSURE GUIDELINES:
TLV: 5 ppm, Ala PEL: 1 ppm
IHC: -- IDLH: -- NRC: --
PHYSICAL STATE: colorless gas ODOR: sweet, ethereal MOLECULAR WEICHT: 62,5 VAPOR DENSITY: 2.2 FLAMMABILITY: 3.6-33% EXPLOSIVITY: 4-22% FLASH POINT: -78C
ACUTE TOXICITY INFORMATION:
SPECIES g. pigs mice does, rabbits doqs mice, rats, q, pigs
mice rats g. pigs rabbits
CONC.(ppm) 200,000-400,000
100.000 60,000-120.000 250,000-300,000
180.000 100.000 100,000 100,000 100,000 200,000 200,000 200.000 200,000 300,000 300,000 300,000 113,000 150,000 230,000 113,000
DURATION short
sev. hr. 10 min 10 min
1 min --
1 min 15 min 30 min
1 min 2 min 10 min 15 min 1 min 5 min 30 min 2 hr 2 hr ( 2 hr \ 2 hr -//
deaths
RESULTS
REF. 8
lunq, liver & kidney effects
minimum anesthetic range lethal
1.7
anesthesia, rapid recovery
1
anesthesia, decrease In BP, cardiac Irreqularltles 1
sllqht Irritation In mice & rats
1
tremor. Incoordination
deep narcosis, slight lunq pathology, no deaths
Immediate Irritation In mice & rats
Incoordination In mice & rats
unconsciousness
deep narcosis, 1/15 died
Immediate irritation. Incoordination
unconsciousness
death of all rats A mice
LC50, narcosis, death from respiratory failure;
3,9
lunq, liver & kidney Iniury
UCC 107958
ACUT1: TOXICITY INFORMATION; VCM, Cont'd
SPECIES doqs rats
C0NC.(ppm) 200.000 50.000
DURATION short 2 hr
RESULTS marked salivation, respiratory arrest, narcosis moderate Intoxication
REF. 10 11
70.000
2 hr
loss of rlqhtlnq reflex
100.000
2 hr
loss of corneal reflex
animals humans (estimated)
150.000 7.500
70.000-100.000
2 hr 8 hr short
respiratory failure sllqht symptoms narcotic
12 10
120.000
ww
danqerous
humans
25.000
3 min
dizziness, disorientation, burning sensation In
13
feet, lingering headache
humans
>1000
7
drowsiness, blurred vision, staqgerlnq qalt. tlnqllnq & numbness In extremities
10.7
humans (6) (test)
8,000-12.000 5 min
dizziness & lightheadedness In some subjects
11
16,000
5 min
various degrees of Intoxication
20,000
5 min
dizziness, 1Iqhtheadedness. some nausea, sensory
dullness; symptoms disappear after exposure ends
humans (estimated)
>6000
prolonqed
least exposure causlnq minimal Intoxication
11
humans (2) (test)
780 1 hr no definite response
14
1100 1400 1970
3 hr 1 hr 1 hr
no definite response slight nausea, headache, sleepiness, no odor
j , if
" -V
.
no response
4100
1 hr
no response, sllqht odor
6600
30 min
dizziness, tingling of lips, sleepiness, thickness
- '
i.L i..'
of tongue, loss of equilibrium, persistent nausea.
unpleasant odor
m*
j*` ''
humans
6000
30 min
dizziness, drowsiness
2
humans (estimated)
100.000
30-60 min
dangerous to life
8
5,000
sev, hr.
max. allowable cone, without severe acute effects
OTHER; Carcinogenicity studies were positive; teratogenicity were negative. Has shown mutagenic response In bacteria and yeast but was negative In a dominant lethal study In mice. Has been associated with chromosomal .abnormalities In human lymphocytes; frequency was normal following reduction of exposure (R-5,6). Using methodology proposed by the National Research Council's Comnlttee on Toxicology and based on a version of the multistage model for calculating carcinogenicity risk (R-4), 1700 ppm would be appropriate
for protection against a potential carcinogenic hazard resulting from a one-hour emergency exposure to vinyl chloride.
HUMAN EXPERIENCE;
000R THRESHOLD; varies greatly ( 300-4000 ppm) (R-14): unpleasant at 6600 ppm, slight at 4100 ppm.
IRRITANCY: (R-1): 100,000 for 1 min * slight Irritation In mice, rats. No Irritation noted In humans. No warning properties because of relative lack of odor and Irritancy.
UCC 107959
VCM, Cont'd Emergency Exposure Planning Guideline* 1-hour EEPC: 1000 ppm Rationale An EEPC of 1000 ppm is believed to be appropriate for protection against both transient central nervous system effects and Irreversible health effects. REFERENCES: 1. Mastromatteo, AI HA J. 21:394, 1960. 2. Casarett and Doull's Toxicology, 2nd Ed., I960. 3. I ARC 19:390, 1979. 4. Crump and Howe, Risk Analysis 4:163*176, 1984; as used by the National Research Council's Conmlttee on
Toxicology for estimating upper limits on carcinogenicity risk from short-term exposures to carcinogens. 5. Purchase, Mutation Res, 57:325-334, 1978. 6. Anderson, Mutation Res. 79:151-162, 1980.
7. von Oettlngen, W. F., The Halogenated Hydrocarbons of Industrial & ToxicologicalImportance, 1964.
- 8. Patty, Yant & Waite, Pub, Hlth. Rep. 45, 1930; cited In References 1 and 7. 9, Prodan, U, et al. Annals N.Y. Acad. Scl., 246:154-158, 1975. 10. Schaumann, 0., 1938 In von Oettlngen, W. F., Pub. Hlth. Serv, Pub. #414, 1955, and In Ref. 1,
*11. Lester, D., et al. AI HAJ, 24:265-275, 1963. 12. Henderson & Haggard, Noxious Cases, 1943. 13. Dublin & Vane, U.S. Labor Bull. 582, 1935; as cited In Ref. 7.
14. Adams, Dow, 1951. 15. Torkelson, T. R., et al., AI HAJ, 22:354-361, 1961.
*The EEPC definition and Intended uses are described in "The Dow Program to Develop Emergency Exposure Planning Guideline Concentrations (EEPGs)", Health and Environmental Sciences, July 31, 1986.
UCC 107960