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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

OTTO FUELS II 

CAS#: 106602-80-6 

Division of Toxicology June 1995 

This Public Health Statement is the summary 

chapter from the Toxicological Profile for Otto Fuel 

II. It is one in a series of Public Health Statements 

about hazardous substances and their health effects. 

A shorter version, the ToxFAQsTM, is also 

available. 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. For more information, call the ATSDR 

Information Center at 1-888-422-8737. 

__________________________________ 

This statement was prepared to give you 

information about Otto Fuel II and its components, 

and to emphasize the human health effects that may 

result from exposure to them. The Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 1,397 

hazardous waste sites as the most serious in the 

nation. These sites make up the National Priorities 

List (NPL) and are the sites targeted for long-term 

federal clean-up activities. Otto Fuel II has been 

found at two of the sites on the NPL. However, the 

number of NPL sites evaluated for Otto Fuel II and 

its components is not known. As EPA evaluates 

more sites, the number of sites at which Otto Fuel II 

and its components are found may increase. This 

information is important for you to know because 

Otto Fuel II and its components may cause harmful 

health effects and because these sites are potential 

or actual sources of human exposure to Otto Fuel II 

and its components. 

When a chemical is released from a large area, such 

as an industrial plant, or from a container, such as a 

drum or bottle, it enters the environment as a 

chemical emission. This emission, which is also 

called a release, does not always lead to exposure. 

You can be exposed to a chemical only when you 

come into contact with the chemical. You may be 

exposed to it in the environment by breathing, 

eating or drinking substances containing the 

chemical, or from skin contact with it. 

If you are exposed to a hazardous chemical such as 

Otto Fuel II and its components, several factors will 

determine whether harmful health effects will 

occur, and what the type and severity of those 

health effects will be. These factors include the dose 

(how much), the duration (how long), the route or 

pathway by which you are exposed (breathing, 

eating, drinking, or skin contact), the other 

chemicals to which you are exposed, and your 

individual characteristics such as age, sex, 

nutritional status, family traits, life-style, and state 

of health. 

1.1 WHAT IS OTTO FUEL II? 

Otto Fuel II is a distinct-smelling, reddish-orange, 

oily liquid that the U.S. Navy uses as a fuel for 

torpedo and other weapons systems. It is a mixture 

of three synthetic substances. It contains mostly 

propylene glycol dinitrate, but it also contains 

dibutyl sebacate and 2-nitrodiphenylamine. 

Propylene glycol dinitrate is the explosive part of 

Otto Fuel II. It is a colorless liquid with an 

unpleasant odor. Other names for propylene glycol 

dinitrate are PGDN, 1,2-propylene glycol dinitrate, 

and 1,2-propanediol dinitrate. 

Dibutyl sebacate is a clear liquid. It is most often 

used for making plastics, many of which are used 

for packaging food. It is also used to enhance flavor 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

OTTO FUELS II 

CAS#: 106602-80-6 

Division of Toxicology June 1995 

in foods such as ice cream, candy, baked goods, and 

nonalcoholic drinks. Some shaving creams also 

contain dibutyl sebacate. Other names for dibutyl 

sebacate are decanedioic acid, dibutyl ester; sebacic 

acid, dibutyl ester; and dibutyl decanedioate. 

2-Nitrodiphenylamine is a solid. Otto Fuel II 

contains 2-nitrodiphenylamine to control the 

explosion of propylene glycol dinitrate. It is also 

used as a solvent dye. Other names for 2-

nitrodiphenylamine are 2-nitrobenzenamine, 2-

nitro-N-phenyl; 2-nitro-N-phenylaniline; and Sudan 

Yellow 1339. 

1.2 WHAT HAPPENS TO OTTO FUEL II 

WHEN IT ENTERS THE 

ENVIRONMENT? 

Otto Fuel II enters the environment mainly in waste 

water from Navy facilities that produce it or are 

involved in torpedo rework operations. Otto Fuel II 

may also be spilled by accident or be disposed of 

improperly and contaminate soil. We do not have 

much information on what happens to Otto Fuel II 

and its components when they enter the 

environment. We do know that Otto Fuel II enters 

the environment as a mixture of three separate 

components. A large portion of the propylene glycol 

dinitrate will evaporate very rapidly from the water 

or the surface of wet soil, but a small portion of it 

will be broken down by light to other chemicals. 

Propylene glycol dinitrate that enters the air is 

probably also broken down by light. Some studies 

suggest that propylene glycol dinitrate in water or 

soil is broken down by microorganisms that are 

normally present, but not all studies agree about this 

point. It is unlikely that 2-nitrodiphenylamine will 

evaporate from water or soil into the air. 2-

Nitrodiphenylamine will also probably not stay 

dissolved in water because it does not dissolve 

easily in water and because it most likely sticks to 

particles in the water or soil. 2-Nitrodiphenylamine 

that enters the water is broken down by light. A 

portion of 2-nitrodiphenylamine in the water or soil 

also is broken down by microorganisms. We do not 

know which of the two processes (light- or 

microorganism- assisted) is more important in 

breaking down this chemical in the environment. 

Many microorganisms in water and soil have the 

capability to break down dibutyl sebacate. We do 

not have any information on other ways that dibutyl 

sebacate might be broken down in water or soil. 

There is no evidence that dibutyl sebacate 

evaporates into the air from soil or water. 

1.3 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO OTTO 

FUEL II? 

Humans are most likely to be exposed to Otto Fuel 

II or its components in areas where Otto Fuel II is 

used as a torpedo fuel or where it is made. The most 

likely ways these people will be exposed to Otto 

Fuel II are by breathing contaminated air and by 

touching the fuel during handling. One of the 

chemicals that makes up Otto Fuel II, propylene 

glycol dinitrate, was measured at levels of less than 

1 part per million (ppm) parts of air in a facility 

where Otto Fuel II was used. Another chemical 

found in Otto Fuel II, 2-nitrodiphenylamine, was 

measured at levels of 1–14 ppm in waste water 

released from a plant where torpedo fuel was being 

manufactured. This chemical was also measured at 

levels of 0.5–12.2 ppm in the sediment of the river 

where the waste water was dumped. Almost nothing 

is known about levels of Otto Fuel II or its 

components at hazardous waste sites or at other 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

OTTO FUELS II 

CAS#: 106602-80-6 

Division of Toxicology June 1995 

places. It is not known whether exposure of persons 

living or working near hazardous waste sites occurs. 

Exposure to 2-nitrodiphenylamine also may occur 

as the result of its manufacture and use as a solvent 

dye. Exposure to dibutyl sebacate also may occur as 

a result of its manufacture and use as a flavor 

enhancer, as an ingredient in plastic food 

containers, and as an ingredient in shaving lotions. 

1.4 HOW CAN OTTO FUEL II ENTER AND 

LEAVE MY BODY? 

Propylene glycol dinitrate, the explosive chemical 

in Otto Fuel II, enters your bloodstream when you 

breathe it in, when you drink water containing it, eat 

food or soil containing it, and when your skin 

comes in contact with it. 2-Nitrodiphenylamine and 

dibutyl sebacate, the other two components in Otto 

Fuel II, enter your bloodstream when you drink 

water or eat food with either of these two chemicals 

in it. We do not know how much of these two 

chemicals can enter your bloodstream by breathing 

or touching them. Within a day, propylene glycol 

dinitrate is rapidly and completely broken down in 

your blood to chemicals that are normally found in 

your body. Some of the breakdown products leave 

your body in your urine, and others are used by 

your body to make other chemicals. One study 

reported that dibutyl sebacate is rapidly broken 

down in your body by the same process that your 

body uses to break down fat. We do not know what 

happens to the breakdown products of dibutyl 

sebacate in your body. We also do not know what 

happens to 2-nitrodiphenylamine in your body or 

how it is eliminated. 

1.5 HOW CAN OTTO FUEL II AFFECT MY 

HEALTH? 

People who work around Otto Fuel II report 

experiencing a number of effects which include 

headaches, loss of balance, poor eye-hand 

coordination, eye irritation, congested noses, 

nausea, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. The 

most common side effect of overexposure is 

headache. It can occur when there are no other 

reported side effects, even when the degree of 

overexposure is minimal. The greater the 

overexposure, the larger the number of reported 

symptoms. Some people who work around Otto 

Fuel II get used to being around it, and after a 

period of time, they do not seem to experience 

discomfort. People who have worked around Otto 

Fuel II, but later are no longer exposed to this 

chemical, might feel chest pain or rapid beating of 

the heart, or have heart attacks. We do not know if 

Otto Fuel II affects the ability of people to have 

children or if it causes children to have birth 

defects. We also do not know if this chemical 

affects the ability of people to fight disease or if it 

causes cancer in people. Most of the effects of Otto 

Fuel II on people's health are believed to be caused 

by its major component, propylene glycol dinitrate. 

Exposure to levels of propylene glycol dinitrate as 

low as 0.2 ppm in the air for several hours causes 

headaches in some persons. At 0.2 ppm, some brain 

wave patterns are also altered, and at 0.5 ppm, 

dizziness and nausea are common. We do not know 

anything about the effects of propylene glycol 

dinitrate on the ability of people to have babies or to 

fight disease. We also do not know whether 

propylene glycol dinitrate causes birth defects or 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

OTTO FUELS II 

CAS#: 106602-80-6 

Division of Toxicology June 1995 

cancer. Very little is known about the other two 

components of Otto Fuel II, 2-nitrodiphenylamine 

or dibutyl sebacate. We do not know anything about 

the human health effects of the component 2-

nitrodiphenylamine. The only thing we know about 

the human health effects of the component dibutyl 

sebacate is that it was not irritating to the skin of 

volunteers who were tested. 

Animal studies show effects of propylene glycol 

dinitrate that are related to the effects seen in 

people. Results from animal studies also show 

additional effects of propylene glycol dinitrate that 

have not been reported in people exposed to this 

chemical. Exposure of animals to moderate-to-large 

amounts of propylene glycol dinitrate for several 

weeks causes problems in blood, like anemia and a 

decreased ability of the blood to carry oxygen. The 

livers and kidneys of some animals exposed to 

moderate levels of propylene glycol dinitrate all 

day, every day, for several months showed some 

damage. We do not know whether these effects 

might also occur in persons exposed to sufficiently 

high concentrations. We also do not know whether 

propylene glycol dinitrate affects the ability of 

animals to have babies or whether it causes birth 

defects in animals. However, we know that rats that 

had Otto Fuel II applied to their skin during 

pregnancy gave birth to babies with low birth 

weights. Propylene glycol dinitrate has not been 

sufficiently tested to see whether or not it causes 

cancer in animals. 

Animal studies also examined the effects of dibutyl 

sebacate. These studies showed that eating large 

amounts of this chemical for long periods did not 

affect the health of the animals that ate it. The 

babies of animals that ate large amounts of this 

chemical grew more slowly than babies of animals 

that did not eat it. We do not know whether dibutyl 

sebacate causes cancer in animals. 

We do not know anything about the health effects 

of 2-nitrodiphenylamine in animals. 

The Department of Health and Human Services, the 

International Agency for Research on Cancer, and 

the Environmental Protection Agency have not 

reviewed Otto Fuel II to determine what 

classification of carcinogenicity it should receive. 

1.6 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO 

DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN 

EXPOSED TO OTTO FUEL II? 

There is no routinely available test that can directly 

measure an individual's exposure to Otto Fuel II. 

Sensitive methods have been used to measure 

propylene glycol dinitrate, the major component in 

Otto Fuel II, in both the blood and the exhaled air of 

the exposed individual. Tests that measure the 

amount of a breakdown product of propylene glycol 

dinitrate in your urine could give some information 

about whether a person has been exposed to this 

chemical. These tests, which assume the same 

breakdown products for humans and animals, could 

be easily performed by clinical laboratories. Your 

body rapidly breaks down propylene glycol 

dinitrate, and the breakdown products leave your 

body in your urine within a day. Therefore, the tests 

are only helpful if given within a few hours of 

exposure. The tests also are not specific for 

exposure to propylene glycol dinitrate. Many other 

chemicals, such as those found in fertilizers, 

explosives, some heart and diarrhea medications, 

and some food preservatives, also raise the amount 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

OTTO FUELS II 

CAS#: 106602-80-6 

Division of Toxicology June 1995 

of this breakdown product in the urine. No tests are 

known for measuring the other two components of 

Otto Fuel II in your body. 

1.7 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO 

PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH? 

The government has developed regulations and 

guidelines for Otto Fuel II and the chemicals in it. 

These are designed to protect the public from 

potential harmful health effects of the chemical. The 

Department of Transportation regulates the 

transportation of Otto Fuel II because of its 

potential health effects. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health (NIOSH) recommends that workers not be 

exposed to air containing more than 0.05 ppm 

propylene glycol dinitrate during an 8-hour 

workday, 40-hour workweek. 

1.8 WHERE CAN I GET MORE 

INFORMATION? 

If you have any more questions or concerns, please 

contact your community or state health or 

environmental quality department or: 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

Division of Toxicology 

1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32 

Atlanta, GA 30333 

Information line and technical assistance: 

Phone: 888-422-8737 

FAX: (770)-488-4178 

ATSDR can also tell you the location of 

occupational and environmental health clinics. 

These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, 

and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to 

hazardous substances. 

To order toxicological profiles, contact: 

National Technical Information Service 

5285 Port Royal Road 

Springfield, VA 22161 

Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000 

Reference 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

(ATSDR). 1995. Toxicological profile for Otto Fuel 

II. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, Public Health Service. 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov