Substance fact sheet
The background information page contains information and concepts that will be useful in understanding some of the issues surrounding the NPI. It is strongly recommended that you read this before reading the information presented below.
For an explanation of some of the terms used in this page, see the Glossary
| Substance name | Trichloroethylene |
| CASR number | 79-01-6 |
| Molecular formula | C2HCl3 |
| Synonyms | Ethinyl trichloride; Acetylene trichloride; ethylene trichloride; triiecene; 1,1,2-Trichloroethylene; Tri; TCE; trichloroethene; Trichloran; Trichloren; 1,2,2-trichloroethylene; anamenth; benzinol |
Physical and chemical properties Physical properties: Trichloroethylene is a colourless, liquid with a sweet odour, and a sweet burning taste. Melting Point (°C): -73 Boiling Point (°C): 86.7 Vapour Density: 4.53 Specific Gravity: 1.456 Chemical properties: |
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Common uses Trichloroethylene is primarily used as a solvent to remove greases from metal parts. As a solvent or as a component of solvent blends trichloroethylene is used with adhesives, lubricants, paints, varnishes, paint strippers, pesticides, and cold metal cleaners. It is used to make other chemicals (pharmaceuticals, polychlorinated aliphatics, flame retardants, and insecticides). It is used as an extraction solvent for greases, oils, fats, waxes and tars. The textile industry uses it to scour cotton, wool and other fabrics, and in waterless dying and finishing. It is used as a refrigerant for low temperature heat transfer. |
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Sources of emissions Point sources The primary sources of trichloroethylene emissions are the industries that manufacture it or use it in production, such as the chemical industry, rubber manufacturers, the pharmaceutical industry, the semiconductor industry, heavy equipment manufacturing, iron and steel manufacturing, pulp and paper manufacture (for de-inking paper), the manufacturers of paints, inks, varnishes and lacquers, and the manufacture of pens, pencils, art and office supplies. These are emissions to the air unless there is a spill. Diffuse sources, and point sources included in aggregated emissions data Other possible emitters of trichloroethylene are degreasing operations, commercial and household painting and paint, varnish and lacquer removal, and consumer products containing trichloroethylene. These are emissions to the air unless there is a spill. Natural sources Trichloroethylene does not occur naturally in the environment. Mobile sources No mobile sources. Consumer products which may contain Trichloroethylene Aerosol paints, adhesive glues, lubricating and oils, automotive chemicals, paint and varnish removers and thinners, typewriter correction fluids . |
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Health effects How might I be exposed to Trichloroethylene? Workers in the industries that use or produce trichloroethylene are at risk of exposure. Consumers can be exposed to trichloroethylene by exposure to air from production and processing facilities using trichloroethylene, or drinking water from contaminated water. Consumers may also be exposed to trichloroethylene when using consumer products containing trichloroethylene, especially if there is not good ventilation, or by skin contact. Because trichloroethylene is used in many consumer products, short-term indoor concentrations may be elevated above the levels considered safe for workers. By what pathways might Trichloroethylene enter my body? Trichloroethylene will enter the body if we breathe in contaminated air, or water that has been contaminated. It can also pass through the skin. Relative health hazard On a health hazard spectrum of 0 - 3 Trichloroethylene registers 1.3. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to health, 2 represents a medium hazard and 1 is harmful to health. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the evaluation of its tendency to cause, or not cause cancer and/or birth defects. It does not take into account exposure to the substance. Human exposure is reflected in the NPI rank given to this substance (see comparative data below). 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.  Health guidelines Worksafe Australia: For trichloroethylene, it is allowable for workers to be exposed to concentrations of 50 parts per million over an eight hour workshift, with concentrations not greater than 200 parts per million. See the Additional Information page for current health information. 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. What effect might Trichloroethylene have on my health? Trichloroethylene is a central nervous system depressant and has been used as an anaesthetic, for surgery. Some people intentionally inhale it for its narcotic properties. Exposure to moderate amounts of trichloroethylene may cause headaches, loss of balance, and tremors. Larger exposures will cause dizziness or sleepiness, and may cause unconsciousness at very high levels. Very large exposures may cause irreversible cardiac problems, nerve and liver damage, and death. It is mildly irritating to the eyes and nose, and throat. Chronic (long-term) exposures to trichloroethylene have also been shown to cause nausea, intolerance to fatty foods, respiratory irritation, renal (kidney) toxicity, and immune system depression. Alcohol consumption increases the toxicity of trichloroethylene and may cause 'degreaser's flush', red blotches on the skin. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified trichloroethylene as a 'probable human carcinogen'. |
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Environmental effects Environmental Fate Trichloroethylene enters the air during production, use and transporting it. In the air it will break down into other chemicals (phosgene, formyl chloride, and chlorine atoms - which leads to the creation of hydrochloric acid) in a six to forty days. When released to the soil it will either evaporate or leach into the ground water (bores). It will also quickly evaporate if released to surface water. According to the World Health Organisation trichloroethylene is found to be widely distributed in surface water, rain water, and bore water. In the soil and water bacteria will break it down. In the water it will break down in 2 to 10 days. It does not deposit on the bottom of rivers or lakes. Environmental Transport Industrial emissions of trichloroethylene can produce elevated concentrations in the atmosphere around the source. Because of its short life expectancy in the atmosphere trichloroethylene is expected to be confined to the local area within which it is emitted. Since it does not bind to soil well, trichloroethylene that makes its way into the ground may move through the ground and enter groundwater (bore water). Relative hazard to the environment On an environmental spectrum of 0 - 3 Trichloroethylene registers 2. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to the environment and 0 a negligible hazard. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking 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 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.  Environmental guidelines See the Additional Information page for current environmental guidelines. No national guidelines. What effect might Trichloroethylene have on the environment? What is the effect on our environment of high concentrations of trichloroethylene? Trichloroethylene will exist as a gas if released to the atmosphere. It dissolves when mixed with water. In the air it is reacted into other chemicals, in the water and soil bacteria break it down. It has moderate acute (short-term) toxicity on aquatic life. It has moderate chronic (long-term) toxicity to aquatic life. Chronic and acute effects on plants, birds or land animals have not been determined. Trichloroethylene does bioaccumulate to a limited extent. The concentration of trichloroethylene in the tissues of fish are expected to be higher than the concentration of trichloroethylene in the water from which the fish was taken. |
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Comparative data NPI Rank Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the NPI reporting list. A risk ranking was given based on health and environmental hazard identification and human and environmental exposure to the substance. Some substances were grouped together at the same rank with 208 ranks in total. Trichloroethylene was ranked as 12 out of the 208 ranks. Total hazard score (human health + environmental criteria) = 3.3.  |
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Sources of information used in preparing this article
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