September 2004 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Vinyl Chloride |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about vinyl chloride. For more information,
you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737.
This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous
substances and their health effects. This information is important
because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure
to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration,
how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether
other chemicals are present.
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HIGHLIGHTS: Exposure to vinyl
chloride occurs mainly in the workplace. Breathing high
levels of vinyl chloride for short periods of time can
cause dizziness, sleepiness, unconsciousness, and at extremely
high levels can cause death. Breathing vinyl chloride
for long periods of time can result in permanent liver
damage, immune reactions, nerve damage, and liver cancer.
This substance has been found in at least 616 of the 1,647
National Priority List sites identified by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). |
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What
is vinyl chloride? |
Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas. It
burns easily and it is not stable at high temperatures. It
has a mild, sweet odor. It is a manufactured substance that
does not occur naturally. It can be formed when other substances
such as trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene
are broken down. Vinyl chloride is used to make polyvinyl
chloride (PVC). PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products,
including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials.
Vinyl chloride is also known as chloroethene,
chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride.
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What
happens to vinyl chloride when it enters the environment? |
- Liquid vinyl chloride evaporates easily. Vinyl chloride
in water or soil evaporates rapidly if it is near the surface.
- Vinyl chloride in the air breaks down in a few days to
other substances, some of which can be harmful.
- Small amounts of vinyl chloride can dissolve in water.
- Vinyl chloride is unlikely to build up in plants or animals
that you might eat.
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How
might I be exposed to vinyl chloride? |
- Breathing vinyl chloride that has been released from plastics
industries, hazardous waste sites, and landfills.
- Breathing vinyl chloride in air or during contact with
your skin or eyes in the workplace.
- Drinking water from contaminated wells.
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How
can vinyl chloride affect my health? |
Breathing high levels of vinyl chloride
can cause you to feel dizzy or sleepy. Breathing very high
levels can cause you to pass out, and breathing extremely
high levels can cause death.
Some people who have breathed vinyl chloride
for several years have changes in the structure of their livers.
People are more likely to develop these changes if they breathe
high levels of vinyl chloride. Some people who work with vinyl
chloride have nerve damage and develop immune reactions. The
lowest levels that produce liver changes, nerve damage, and
immune reaction in people are not known. Some workers exposed
to very high levels of vinyl chloride have problems with the
blood flow in their hands. Their fingers turn white and hurt
when they go into the cold.
The effects of drinking high levels of
vinyl chloride are unknown. If you spill vinyl chloride on
your skin, it will cause numbness, redness, and blisters.
Animal studies have shown that long-term
exposure to vinyl chloride can damage the sperm and testes.
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How
likely is vinyl chloride to cause cancer? |
The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services has determined that vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen.
Studies in workers who have breathed vinyl chloride over many
years showed an increased risk of liver cancer; brain cancer,
lung cancer, and some cancer of the blood have also been observed
in workers.
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How
can vinyl chloride affect children? |
It has not been proven that vinyl chloride
causes birth defects in humans, but studies in animals suggest
that vinyl chloride might affect growth and development. Animal
studies also suggest that infants and young children might
be more susceptible than adults to vinyl chloride-induced
cancer.
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How
can families reduce the risk of exposure to vinyl chloride? |
Tobacco smoke contains low levels of
vinyl chloride, so limiting your family's exposure to cigarette
or cigar smoke may help reduce their exposure to vinyl chloride.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to vinyl
chloride? |
The results of several tests can sometimes
show if you have been exposed to vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride
can be measured in your breath, but the test must be done
shortly after exposure. This is not helpful for measuring
very low levels of vinyl chloride. The amount of the major
breakdown product of vinyl chloride, thiodiglycolic acid,
in the urine may give some information about exposure. However,
this test must be done shortly after exposure and does not
reliably indicate the level of exposure.
Vinyl chloride can bind to genetic material
in your body. The amount of this binding can be measured by
sampling your blood and other tissues. This measurement will
give information about whether you have been exposed to vinyl
chloride, but it is not sensitive enough to determine the
effects on the genetic material resulting from exposure. These
tests are not available at most doctors' offices, but can
be done at special laboratories.
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Has the federal
government made recommendations to protect human health? |
Vinyl chloride is regulated in drinking
water, food, and air. The EPA requires that the amount of
vinyl chloride in drinking water not exceed 0.002 milligrams
per liter (mg/L) of water.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) has set a limit of 1 part vinyl chloride per 1 million
parts of air (1 ppm) in the workplace.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
regulates the vinyl chloride content of various plastics.
These include plastics that carry liquids and plastics that
contact food. The limits for vinyl chloride content vary depending
on the nature of the plastic and its use.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1997. Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents.
Volume III Medical Management Guidelines for Acute
Chemical Exposures: Vinyl Chloride.
Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Public Health Service.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 2004. Toxicological
Profile for Vinyl Chloride (Draft for Public Comment).
Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Public Health Service.
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Where can I get
more information? |
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational
and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize,
evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous
substances. You can also contact your community or state health
or environmental quality department if you have any more questions
or concerns.
For more information, contact:
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737)
FAX: (770)-488-4178
Email: ATSDRIC@cdc.gov
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