Substance fact sheet
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) provides information on the types and amounts of pollutants being emitted in the Australian community.
This page provides facts about 1,2-dichloroethane. It describes how you might be exposed to this substance, how exposure might effect you and the environment, common uses, comparative data about 1,2-dichloroethane and its physical and chemical properties.
For more information about some of the terms used in this page, see the NPI glossary.
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) holds data for all sources of 1,2-dichloroethane emissions in Australia.
1,2-dichloroethane may irritate the eyes, nose and throat. It may cause eye problems, headache, feelings of drunkenness, fatigue, central nervous system depression, convulsions, pulmonary oedema (excessive fluid in the lungs), unconsciousness and death from respiratory and cardiac failure. It may also defat the skin, causing skin irritation. Long-term exposures may cause damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs and adrenal glands.
1,2-Dichloroethane will enter the body if we breathe in contaminated air, or drink contaminated water. 1,2-dichloroethane can also pass through your skin.
Workers in the industries that use or produce 1,2-dichloroethane are at risk of exposure. Consumers can be exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane by exposure to leaded fuels, or by exposure to air from production and processing facilities using 1,2-dichloroethane. The most significant route of exposure to 1,2-Dichloroethane for most members of the general public is through breathing air contaminated with it or drinking contaminated water (especially bore water).
See Sources for more information.
According to Worksafe Australia : For 1,2-dichloroethane, it is allowable for workers to be exposed to concentrations in the air of 10 parts per million over an eight hour workshift.
The Australian NOHSC National Exposure Standards Database link is probably the most useful source of information.
Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines.
1,2-dichloroethane has slight acute (short-term) toxicity and slight chronic (long-term) toxicity to aquatic life. It has caused injury to woody trees. 1,2-dichloroethane is not expected to concentrate in fish. Insufficient data are available to predict the effects of 1,2-dichloroethane on birds or land animals.
Industrial emissions of 1,2-dichloroethane can produce elevated, but still low level concentrations in the atmosphere around the source, and travel for long distances. Motor vehicles, using leaded petrol, may also produce elevated levels of 1,2-dichloroethane in areas of higher traffic. Spills or to the ground may lead to 1,2-dichloroethane leaching into the groundwater. In the groundwater 1,2-dichloroethane may contaminate bores or other water supplies.
1,2-dichloroethane is a persistent pollutant in the atmosphere that can be transported long distances. In the atmosphere it will be degraded into other chemicals (CO 2 and HCl), in 30 to 300 days. When released to water 1,2-dichloroethane will evaporate into the air. When spilled or applied to land 1,2-dichloroethane, that does not evaporate, may leach into the groundwater. 1,2-dichloroethane is persistent in the ground and groundwater. It may last for years as there is little degradation by microbes. It is not expected to bioaccumulate. 1,2-dichloroethane is a volatile organic compound (VOC) and will contribute to smog. One of the products of degradation from it, HCl, will be a contributor to acid wet deposition (acid rain, fog, dew etc.).
No national guidelines.
1,2-dichloroethane is used to make vinyl chloride, and chlorinated solvents (trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, and vinylidene). The solvents are used to remove grease, resins, glue and dirt. It is used as a solvent in the manufacture of polystyrene and SBR latex. It is added to leaded petrol as an anti-knock compound.
Refineries making leaded petrol, plastics manufacturing facilities, chemical manufacturing facilities, paint and varnish manufacturing facilities. Almost all of these emissions are to the air.
Additional locations that may release 1,2-dichloroethane are manufacturers of metal parts (degreasing), manufacturers of medical supplies, use of paints and varnish containing 1,2-dichloroethane. These emissions are to the air.
1,2-dichloroethane does not occur naturally in the environment.
Motor vehicle emissions, from automobiles using leaded petrol.
Leaded petrol contains 1,2-dichloroethane. 1,2-dichloroethane may be found in some cleaning agents (rug and upholstery), in resin and rubber adhesives, and in some paint, varnish and finish removers.
Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the NPI reporting list. A ranking and total hazard score was given based on health and environmental hazards and human and environmental exposure to the substance.
1,2-dichloroethane was ranked as 77 out of 400. The total hazard score taking into account both human health and environmental criteria is 2.9.
On a health hazard rating of 0 - 3 1,2-dichloroethane registers 1.2. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to health, 2 represents a medium hazard and 1 is harmful to health.
On an environmental rating of 0 - 3 1,2-dichloroethane registers 1.7. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to the environment and 0 a negligible hazard.
Factors taken into account to obtain this ranking and these scores include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the measure of its ability to remain active in the environment and whether it accumulates in living organisms. It does not take into account exposure to the substance. Environmental exposure is reflected in the NPI rank for this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as an environmental hazard is oxides of nitrogen at 3.0 and one of the lower scores is carbon monoxide at 0.8. A substance that scores highly as a health hazard is arsenic at 2.3 and one of the lowest scores is ammonia at 1.0.
| Substance name | 1,2-dichloroethane |
| CASR number | 107-06-2 |
| Molecular formula | C2H4Cl2 |
| Synonyms | Ethylene dichloride; Ethylene chloride; glycol dichloride; Freon 150; Dutch liquid; Dutch oil; 1,2-Ethylidene dichloride; Ethane dichloride; 1,2- Ethylene dichloride; alpha, beta-dichloride; 2-dichloroethane dichlor-1,2-ethane; dichloroethylene |
| Physical properties: 1,2-dichloroethane is a clear, thick liquid that has a pleasant odour. Melting Point (°C): -35.3 |
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| Chemical properties: 1,2-dichloroethane is volatile at room temperature. It is slightly soluble in water and soluble in most organic solvents. Flashpoint Point (°C): 13 |
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There is more information that may be useful in understanding some of the issues surrounding the NPI.