Trichloroethylene, stabilized

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW Appearance: clear, colorless liquid. Warning! Breathing vapors may cause drowsiness and dizziness. Causes eye and skin irritation. Aspiration hazard if swallowed. Can enter lungs and cause damage. May cause cancer based on animal studies. May cause liver damage. Target Organs: Central nervous system, liver, eyes, skin.

Potential health effects

Eye: Causes moderate eye irritation. May result in corneal injury. Contact produces irritation, tearing, and burning pain. Contact with trichloroethylene causes pain but no permanent injury to the eyes. (Doc of TLV) Skin: Causes mild skin irritation. Prolonged and/or repeated contact may cause defatting of the skin and dermatitis. May cause peripheral nervous system function impairment including persistent neuritis, and temporary loss of touch. Damage to the liver and other organs has been observed in workers who have been overexposed. Ingestion: May cause irritation of the digestive tract. Aspiration of material into the lungs may cause chemical pneumonitis, which may be fatal. Inhalation: May cause respiratory tract irritation. May cause liver abnormalities. May cause cardiac abnormalities. May cause peripheral nervous system effects. Inhalation overexposure may lead to central nervous system depression, producing effects such as dizziness, headache, confusion, incoordination, nausea, weakness, and loss of consciousness. Extreme exposures may cause other CNS effects including death. The chief symptoms of TCE exposure were found to be abnormal fatigue, irritability, headache, gastric disturbances, and intolerance to alcohol. (Doc to TLV) Chronic: Possible cancer hazard based on tests with laboratory animals. Chronic inhalation may cause effects similar to those of acute inhalation. Prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause defatting and dermatitis. May cause peripheral nervous system function impairment including persistent neuritis, and temporary loss of touch. Damage to the liver and other organs has been observed in workers who have been overexposed.