NEU-TRI Solvent

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

OSHA Hazards Emergency Overview Color: Clear Physical State: Liquid. Odor: Characteristic

Signal word

WARNING! May cause allergic skin reaction. May cause central nervous system effects; can cause death if too much is breathed. Harmful if inhaled. May cause eye irritation. May cause skin irritation. Isolate area. Keep upwind of spill. Stay out of low areas. Toxic fumes may be released in fire situations. Cancer hazard. Can cause cancer.

Potential health effects

Eye Contact: May cause moderate eye irritation. Vapor may cause eye irritation experienced as mild discomfort and redness. Skin Contact: Brief contact may cause moderate skin irritation with local redness. May cause drying and flaking of the skin. May cause more severe response on covered skin (under clothing, gloves). Prolonged or repeated exposure may cause defatting of the skin leading to drying or flaking of skin. Skin Absorption: Prolonged skin contact is unlikely to result in absorption of harmful amounts. Trichloroethylene may be absorbed through the skin and may cause numbness in fingers immersed in the liquid. Skin Sensitization For the major component(s) Has demonstrated the potential for contact allergy in mice. Has caused allergic skin reactions when tested in guinea pigs. Inhalation: In confined or poorly ventilated areas, vapor can readily accumulate and can cause unconsciousness and death. Excessive exposure may cause irritation to upper respiratory tract (nose and throat). Excessive exposure may increase sensitivity to epinephrine and increase myocardial irritability (irregular heartbeats). May cause alcohol intolerance often manifested by temporary reddening of the skin called ‘degreaser’s flush’. Minimal anesthetic or irritant effects may be seen around 200-400 ppm trichloroethylene. Levels in the range of 1000-2000 ppm may rapidly cause dizziness and drunkenness. Progressively higher levels or longer exposure may cause unconsciousness and death and may be immediately hazardous to life. Ingestion: Very low toxicity if swallowed. Small amounts swallowed incidentally as a result of normal handling operations are not likely to cause injury; however, swallowing larger amounts may cause injury.

Aspiration hazard

Based on physical properties, not likely to be an aspiration hazard Effects of Repeated Exposure For the major component(s) In animals, effects have been reported on the following organs: Kidney. Liver. Central nervous system. Peripheral nervous system. Alcohol consumed before or after exposure may increase adverse effects. Trichloroethylene is reported to have caused hearing loss in laboratory animals upon repeated exposure to 2500 ppm or higher (orders of magnitude greater than the current occupational exposure standards). However, the relevance of this to humans is unknown.

Cancer information

Tumors were observed in mice given large doses of trichloroethylene. Data suggest a nongenotoxic mechanism for tumor formation that implies that nontoxic doses of trichloroethylene should pose little or no carcinogenic hazard. A very low incidence of tumors has been observed in male rats at high levels of trichloroethylene which caused reduced survival, rendering these studies inadequate. Limited epidemiology data have shown a weak association between trichloroethylene exposure and renal cancer. Butylene oxide has been shown to produce benign and malignant tumors in rats but not mice. These tumors occurred only following high exposure levels which first produced chronic upper respiratory tract irritation. Butylene oxide is not believed to pose a carcinogenic risk to man when handled as recommended. Birth Defects/Developmental Effects For the major component(s) Did not cause birth defects in laboratory animals. Has been toxic to the fetus in laboratory animals at doses toxic to the mother.