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Monsanto MONSANTO INOUrmui eWnCALI CO. 0 0 N. Lifldbtrgh loulavar St. Ionia. Uiaaoun fljtflfl n a : OU) 164-1000 March 18> 1975 Mr. Dan A. Albert Staff Supervisor Personnel Relations Vestlnghouse Electric Corporation Highway 58 Vest South Boston, Virginia 24592 Dear Mr. Albert; Attached are responses to the questions listed in your letter dated February 3 1975. In addition to the industrial hygiene practices described In our responses to your questions, I cannot overemphasize the need to properly control the use and handling of Inerteens to prevent their escape Into the environment. Also, in discussing this Information with your employees, I strongly recommend that the perspective gained from over 40 years of experience In which no human harm has resulted, be emphasized. In summary, the proper handling of Inerteens should pose no environmental or human health problems, permitting society's continued use of a very valuable material. ._ .... I hope the above Information Is useful to you. If I ean be of further service please let me know. Sincerely, V BPspd V. B. Pspageorge Manager, Product Acceptability Specialty & Process Chemicals hnII ( Ennt?6 GBRN 0016*1 1. Question: Does Inerteen have permanent effects on the human body? If so, what type of permanent damage and how long^a period of time does it take for this to develop? If not, explain why, if possible. The polychlorinated biphenyls in Inerteen can have permanent effects on the human body. The length of time or period of exposure necessary to develop symptoms depends on the degree or amount of exposure. In general, a single exposure for a few minutes to atmospheric concentrations that cause irritation to the eyes and/or respiratory tract would not be expected to cause either the skin eruptions or demonstrable liver injury. The problem arises from repeated and prolonged exposure to atmospheric concentrations In excess of the accepted Threshold Limit Levels or repeated and prolonged skin contact. The polychlorinated biphenyls have not been recognized as skin "irritants" In the same sense that caustic materials or many organic chemicals are irritants. Because of their "solvent11 action in removing the natural fats and oils from the skin, leaching, drying and chapping, repeated and prolonged skin contact should be avoided. When the polychlorinated biphenyls are mixed with other chlori nated hydrocarbons, the mixture may be classified as a skin Irritant. The potential toxic effects in humans from excessive exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls include injury to the liver and chloracna. In animals,-the liver effect is demonstrated by increased liver weights and injury to cellular tissue. Although chloracne is difficult to evaluate in animals, in humans, this take the form of comedones (large blackheads with typical acute pustules) and may be an external symptom of over exposure pre ceding serious liver injury. Animal data and human experience indicate that the toxic effects are similar whether exposure results from ingestion, inhalation of vapors, or absorption of the liquid material through the unbroken skin. (See AIHA Hygienic Guide Series - "Chlorodiphenyls" attached.) 2. Question: Several hourly employees have mentioned recently that many chemicals such as Inerteen cause sterilization after prolonged use. Is this true? There is no evidence that polychlorinated biphenyls cause "sterilization" In humans. Enroll? (,bRN 00 165 ;' ) 3. Question: Since Inerteen effects birds and other animals, if there Is no real effects to human beings, how do you explain it to employees in such a way that they will understand why it can kill a bird and not a human? There is a potential real effect to humans - including death as discussed in the answer to Question 1. Due to differences in metabolism of food (and food contami nants) in birds and humans (and particularly the difference in the reproduction process in birds and mammals - inclu ding humans), birds are particualrly sensitive to many chlorinated hydrocarbons including polychlorinated biphenyls. 4. Question: If an employee spills Inerteen on his clothing and later takes the clothing home to be wa ed with other clothes, Vill this have any effect on he or his family and should be carry his clothes home to be washed? There should not be 'any effect on an employee or his family from home laundering of work clothing. If washed with other clothing, there may be residual odor of the chlorinated hydrocarbons in the clothing. 5. Question: Employees carry Inerteen home on the soles of their shoes and complain quite a bit about the effect Inerteen has on wearing out their shoes. Is this a serious problem? Will Inerteen in the soles and leather of shoes, over a long period of time, have an effect on the feet and skin since the shoe is the only protective equipment we wear on our feet and the Inerteen penetrates through the leather. There should not be polychlorinated biphenyl on the floor for workmen to contaminate their shoes to carry home* The plas ticizer or solvent action will destroy or shorten the life of the shoes. More importantly, the wearing of contaminated shoes could lead to absorption of the liquid through the soles of the feet as through any other unbroken skin surface. 6. Question: There is one employee in our plant who had no pro blem whatsoever with Inerteen years ago. After six years of using, now when he works in Inerteen (which is a part of his Job) he develops a swelling on the inner bicep of his left arm, only in one location. Could this be from Inerteen or not? It goes away as soon as he gets out of the Inerteen. It is similar to the swelling after taking an injection. 1,0019.A8 GBRN 0016<*3 166 We do not believe there can be any association between "a swelling on the inner bicep" of the arm and exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls. Question: Are there hand cleaning solvent materials, that we should be using when working in Inerteen to coat our skin before working in it and to wash it off after we finish working in it? Please give your recommendation. Our employees working in Inerteen are not able to use gloves since it is an assembly area. Even if they could, the Inerteen would destroy the protective glove. We assume the question refers to the use of "Barrier Creams" rather than a "hand cleaning solvent". There are a number of barrier creams available to protect workers against water Insoluble solvents. Probably the most effective include silicone ``to provide an impenetrable shield A problem with such creams is that they may offer a false sense of security. v Proper use includes a discipline which requires liberal appll cation at the beginning of a work shift and after each washin of the hands during the work day. L UBRN 0G lo<t*r t HYGIENIC GUIDE SERIES Chlorodiplienyls (Containing 42% ta d 54% Chlorine) / vy \ t (* y 3 or 5) Cly Significant Physical Propatti* The chlorodiphenyU m li|h t itn w o o lo n d mobile (42% cblorisated) u d vucstu (34% chlorinated) liquidi with typical chlorinated tr a s tu e odor. These compound* are chlorinated to ipccific weights e t chlorine. Chlorod phenyl (42%) contain* 42.0 -- 0.3 chlorine, an amount corresponding to three chiom e atomi ui unaiaifitod pouoiu. Chlnrodiphenyl (31%) connina 34.3% chlorine corresponding to five chiome aioota in unaaiigned petitions. Beth compound* aia inaoluhle in water, but soluble in bearne, bermene, acetone, amyl alcohol, ether and chloroform. C k t^ ip k n r i (42%) CkUtipkreyi (54%) Molocular weight; 247J3 326.43 Flash point (Cleveland O. C ) : 176*-1I0*C (S49*-S36*F) None Binilialion range: 323*-3M*C 363*-390*C ftpooic gravity: 1.381-1.392 (23*/13J'C ) 1.493-1 JOS ( iS V lS J ' CJ Vapor pratoure: O'C 0.001 mm 0.00006 a n 23*C O.OOfi mm (an) 0.00034 a a (cat) 130*C 4.3 t n 1.4 a a JOO'C .0 mm .Orno* Al 23*C aad 760 n o Hg: taturaiad air eontaioa 0.000tof/Uttr 0.009 m c/lntr 1ng/Utcr = M l ppa 74.9 p p a 0.010ag/littr 0.013 mg/titer i I. Hygianlc Standards A. RECOMMENDED MAXIMAL ATMOlPHtaiC ooncemtbations (8 hours) : One milligrun chlorodiphcnyl (42%) per cubic Mieter o air and 0.5 milligram chlorodiphenyl (54% ) per cubic meter of tir.1 Tiiis u based an the results of The C M km witom iaoWe* (to a m n i a t toa a U U M putw i m t U ika ito L M. A* litp toa ito a a a ttoar P. Wtotov aad Jato T. CWcti m ito w m i to too chronic animal inhalation studies.1 I . Smoot, exposure tulemance: Ten mg of a diphenyl of unspecified chlorine Content per cubic meter of air has been reported as unbearably irritating.* C ATMOaPMMUC CONCENTtATlON tfclMEDI ATELY ilAEAAOoui to Lire: Not known for man. Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat at levels which have not caused acute illness preclude the likeli hood of voluntary exposure to immedi ately hazardous concentrations. OOlo**5 Jinutry-Fbntry, 965 11. Taaic Properties A. I nhalation : Experiments with chlorodiphenyl (42% chlorine) were run at concentrations of 8.6 /liter and at 6 J 3 pg/liter of air. C au, mice, nbfaiu and rati were unaffected by the higher level while guinea pigs showed poor growth after seventeen 7-hour/day ex- Ei r a over 24 days. Eighty-four 7r/day exposures at the lower eoneemration had essentially no effect on milar species of animals.* In the case of ehlorodiphenyl (54% chlorine) eighty-three 7-hour/day expOHires over 121 days to a concentra cin of 5.4 ig/Itter resulted in injury to Ever cells and increased liver weights in rets. At a concentration of l J pg/liter for one hundred and fifty 7-hour/day exposures over 213 days, the rats showed distinct microscopic changes in the liver.* The literature contains many refer a s to the potsiiial toxic effects of chlorinated diphenyls in man and an mala The early work included invatigations of chlorinated naphthalenes, - c h lo r in a te d d ip h e n y ls, chlorinated diplmnyl oxide and various mixtures of these. An early report indicated serious toxic effects from ehlorodiphenyl chlori nated to the extent of 65% .' A later report by the principal author properly identified the earlier sample as a mix ture of chlorinated diphenyl and chlori nated diphenyl benzene.* However, only a few authon of subsequent papers, bul letins or textbooks have noted this cor rection and the original data are cited repeatedly as relating to chlorinated diphcsyhalone. B. Su m contact: Both compounds are rash ly abmrbed through the clipped, intact skin of .rabbits. The minimum lethal doae when the undiluted mate rials were applied to the covered cSpprd, intact akin of rabbits for 24 (m an was approximately 1.0 e m /tg for the 42% chlorinated and 1-5 gm /kg for the 54% chlorinated/ Local action on the skin is similar to th a t of common organic solvents where contact leads to removal of natural fats and o ib with subsequent drying and m d d s g of the skin. Human cases of ehloracnc have not been reported from the use of these two pecific chlorodiphenyls. The potential undoubtedly exists because of rs which were reported from the u e of chlorodiphenyls with a higher chlorine content and from mixtures with other chlorinated aromatic compounds/**** C. Etc contact: The liquid products and their vapors are moderately irritating to eye tisues. D. iM Ctm oN ; The acute oral toxicides of the undiluted compounds xre not gTeat as evidenced by oral LDM's in rats of approximately 6:65 gm (7.61 to 9.78 gm) per kilogram for the 42% chlori nated and 11.9 gm (10.48 to 13.45 gm) per kilogram for the 54% chlorinated/ Central atrophy of the Uver appears to be the chief toxic effect. III. Indurirtal Hygiene I n d ie s A. iMDt'rnuAL u s e s : The chlorodiphenyls are toed as dielectrics for condensers, capacitors and transformers, plasticizers jn synthetic reams, in emulsion adhes ive^ as nonflammable hydraulic fluids and as transfer media. B. Evaluation o r t x r o s u u s : 1. Air sampling end analyrit: a. Direct field methods: None b. Laboratory methods: (1) Collect in recondary butyl alcohol in fritted bubbler or two large impingen in serin; concentrate sample and complete analysis by one of various methods for chlo rinated hydrocarbons/. . ,, (2) Sample air through com bustion furnace, collect chloride ion from decompoacd eh lo ro diphenyl in writable alkaline solution and determine chloride ion con centration/ G . H aXAXSS AND TMCUI UCOHMCNDED contxol: 1. inhalation: Absorption is chiefly by inhalation. Concentrations in the workroom atmosphere should be maintained brlow tlie recommended levels. Where the chlorinated diphenyls are used at room tempo?- EnnisSl ,BRN 00IVV6 169 c /e*nary-February, 1965 tu r n ,'th e h a a rd of inhalation Is elevated temperatures, the patient considered slight or absent. When should be moved from exposure and these materials are subjected to kept at rest until teen by a physician. elevated temperalures, the process Oxygen should be administered if either should be completely enclosed breathing is difficult. or other adequate mechanical ex haust veitilation must be provided to reduce concentrations to n i t levels. In heat transfer media appli cations, the system must be designed and constructed that it Is leakproof. Special gasket materials and Emp *aN are available to prevent kage. The reservoir tank should be airtight except for a vent to the outdoors. In the event of spills or leaks of hot fluids, use chemical cartridge respirators or gas masks approved by the U. S. Bureau of Mines forprotection against organic vapors. These will provide good protection up to the concentrations Eyes contaminated with chlorodiphenyl should be irrigated with water for at least 13 minutes and the patient should be seen by a physician. Depend ing on the amount of inflammation and pain present, drugs like Cortisporin* ointment and topical Fontocaine* may be indicated. B. SreciAi. rm oczouxu; Persons who ireregularly or repeatedly exposed to chlorediphenyts should be examined periodi cally to detect early evidence of skin irritation and/or liver damage. Persons with known liver disease should not be exposed to repeated contact with the duorodiphenrlt. shown on the approval labels and the odor will give ample warning if V. References it comes through the device. 1. Monsanto Company, Organic Chemi 2. Skirt contact: Operations and handl ing procedures should be such as to avoid the possibility of prolonged or repeated skin contact. Contaminated clothing must be laundered before reuse. 3. Eye contact: Eye protection should be used where there is a possibility of liquid splashes. 4. Ingestion: Ingestion of these mate cals Divirion: Tech. Bulletin # PL-306, Aroctor Plasticisers (Dec. I960). 2. American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists: Threshold Limit Values for 1964. AM A Arch. Environ. Health 9: 343 (1964). 3. Treen, J. F., F. P. Cleveland, J. Cappcl, aod R. W. Atchley: The Toxicity of the Vapors of Arocior 1242 and Arorior 1234. Ante?. Ind. Hyf. Assoc. Quart. 17: 204 (1956). rials d not a problem in industry. 4. Elkins, H. B.: The Chemistry of indus 5. Fire cad explosion: The ehlbrodi- trial Toxicology. John Wiley and Sons, phenyls are fire-resistant or catena- In c , New York (1959). ally nonflammable liquids. When 5. Drinker, C. K., M. F. Warren, and G. SjrpcaLd to flame or hot airfaces A. Bennett The Problem of Possible they may decompose to form CO, Systemic Effects from Certain Chlori GQt, HCl, photplics and aJdehydta nated Hydrocarbons. / . Ind. Hyf. T om.. depending on the temperature, avail- . iaaf. 19: 283 (1937). ability of oxygen, area of the heated 6. * Drinker, C. JC.: Further Observations airfare, rate of application of the on the Possible Systemic Toxicity of liquid so the airfare and other C o taia of the Chlorinated Hydrocar variables bons. / . ind. Hyf. Toxicol. 21: 155 IV. Medical lafermafiew (1939). 7. Wheeler, E. P.: Personal Communica A. EsstaecN cr TatansawT: Skin airfaces tion, Monsanto Company, St. Louis, capoeed to chlorodiplienyls should be Missouri 63166. thoroughly washed with soap and water 8. G reatburg. L., M. R. Mayen, and A. at ones. If do tiling has been contami R. Smith: The Systemic Effects Result nated'it should be removed promptly. ing from Exposure to Certain Chluri- If o p o a ire to a high vapor cemcen- dated Hydrocarbons. / . Ind. Hyf . tration occurs as in due ease of spills a t . TasdeoL 21: 29 (1939). Inm 952 ! GBRN 00 10 *7 170 i c )) HYGIENIC GUIDES COMMITTEE C. P. C * ifiim i, CAarma N. E. Boltov Z. E. CamFa u x J. W. C u rro * H. 1. Elxini P. D. Hal u t Mask H m J. A. Houostox D. K M cFu J. U. McNumsv, Ja. J. E. Pvnaaoit J. 1. O ununraxi E A. Prrrxxa V. C. Pdxxami JL L. Ralxbm W. L. SVTTON R. C. Wanox G. I* Wiliok ) H n im ie Guide iheoii may be obtained from the amkiicax imoubtuaj. mtqickx abbocu* rtOM. 14125 Frevwi, Detroit 27. Michixan. at 25 cent* each foe rwo-paae reprim; 30 eenu each for four-pafc rrpnnu. AJI orden for leu than 12.00 must be prepaid. Diicovnt of 20*% on orden of five or more Guide; 40*3 dueount oa orden of 100 or more Guide*. Special loo*ekaf btndcn for the Guidei may alio be ordered fmm the Aaociatioo office foe $1.25 each. ( / I l t Enmasa j ii UbRN 00164o 171