June 1999 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Chloromethane |
(Clorometano) |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about chloromethane. 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 high
levels of chloromethane can cause serious problems to
your nervous system, including convulsions and coma. It
can also affect your liver, kidneys, and heart. This substance
has been found in at least 172 of the 1,467 National Priorities
List sites identified by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). |
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What
is chloromethane? |
Chloromethane is also known as methyl
chloride. It is a clear, colorless gas. It has a faint, sweet
odor that is noticeable only at levels that may be toxic.
It is heavier than air, and it is extremely flammable.
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What
happens to chloromethane when it enters the environment? |
- Chloromethane is found in air, surface water, groundwater,
soil, and sediment.
- It is present at very low concentrations throughout the
atmosphere.
- Chloromethane breaks down very slowly in air.
- It breaks down slowly in water, but certain microorganisms
can break it down more quickly.
- Most of the chloromethane in soil will move to air.
- It does not concentrate in plants, animals, or fish.
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How
might I be exposed to chloromethane? |
- Some chloromethane is produced by industry.
- Most of the chloromethane that is released into the environment
is from natural sources, such as chemical reactions that
occur in the oceans.
- It is also given off when materials like grass, wood,
charcoal, and plastics are burned.
- It is present in lakes and streams and has been found
in drinking water.
- Chloromethane is an impurity in vinyl chloride; exposure
could occur from disposal of vinyl chloride waste.
- Other sources of exposure are cigarette smoke, polystyrene
insulation, aerosol propellants, and chlorinated swimming
pools.
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How
can chloromethane affect my health? |
Breathing very high levels, even for
a short time, can have serious effects on your nervous system,
including convulsions and coma.
Lower exposures can also cause staggering,
blurred or double vision, dizziness, fatigue, personality
changes, confusion, tremors, nausea, or vomiting. These symptoms
can last for several months or years.
Exposure to chloromethane can harm your
liver and kidneys. It could also affect your heart rate and
blood pressure.
Some animal studies showed that animals
that breathed low levels of chloromethane experienced slower
growth and had brain damage. In other animal studies, males
that were exposed to chloromethane were less fertile, or even
sterile, or produced damaged sperm. Females that became pregnant
by these males lost their developing young.
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How
likely is chloromethane to cause cancer? |
There is no evidence that chloromethane
causes cancer in people. In animal studies, male mice that
breathed contaminated air for 2 years developed tumors in
their kidneys, but female mice, and male and female rats did
not.
The EPA has determined that chloromethane
is a possible human carcinogen.
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How
does chloromethane affect children? |
There are no studies on the health effects
on children from exposure to chloromethane. We do not know
if chloromethane exposure will harm developing fetuses or
young children.
Animal studies show that female rats
exposed to chloromethane during pregnancy had young that were
smaller than normal, with underdeveloped bones, and possibly
abnormal hearts (this effect remains uncertain).
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How
can families reduce the risk of exposure to chloromethane? |
- Keep children away from contaminated areas, such as workplaces
that use chloromethane.
- Properly dispose of the older types of refrigerators that
used chlormethane as a refrigerant.
- Become familiar with safety practices if you work with
or near chloromethane.
- Teach children the dangers of breathing smoke from burning
vinyl plastic or silicone rubber products (chloromethane
is released).
- Have your drinking water tested if you are concerned about
it.
- Check product labels for ingredients; contact manufacturers
for additional information if you need it.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to chloromethane? |
There are no known reliable medical tests
to determine whether you have been exposed to chloromethane.
Symptoms resembling drunkenness and food poisoning, along
with a sweet odor of the breath, may suggest to a doctor that
a person has been exposed to chloromethane.
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Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) has set a permissible exposure limit for chloromethane
of 100 parts per million (100 ppm) for an 8-hour workday in
a 40-hour workweek.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1998. Toxicological Profile for chloromethane. 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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