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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

1,1-DICHLOROETHANE 

CAS#: 75-34-3 

Division of Toxicology December 1990 

This Public Health Statement is the summary 

chapter from the Toxicological Profile for 1,1­

Dichloroethane. 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 1,1-dichloroethane and to 

emphasize the human health effects that may result 

from exposure to it. The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) has identified 1,177 sites on its 

National Priorities List (NPL). 1,1-Dichloroethane 

has been found at 189 of these sites. However, we 

do not know how many of the 1,177 NPL sites have 

been evaluated for 1,1-dichloroethane. As EPA 

evaluates more sites, the number of sites at which 

1,1-dichloroethane is found may change. 

The information is important for you because 1,1­

dichloroethane may cause harmful health effects 

and because these sites are potential or actual 

sources of human exposure to 1,1-dichloroethane. 

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 substance such as 1,1­

dichloroethane several factors will determine 

whether harmful health effects will occur and that 

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 1,1-DICHLOROETHANE? 

1,1-Dichloroethane is a colorless, oily, man-made 

liquid. It evaporates quickly at room temperature 

and has an odor like ether. 1,1-Dichloroethane 

burns easily. When 1,1-dichloroethane is released to 

the environment, it usually exists as a vapor rather 

than a liquid. It is used primarily to make 1,1­

trichloroethane and a number of other chemicals. It 

is also used to dissolve other substances such as 

paint, varnish and finish removers, and to remove 

grease. 1,1-Dichloroethane was used as a surgical 

anesthetic, but is no longer. 

Almost all of the 1,1-dichloroethane from industrial 

sources that is released goes into the air. 1,1­

Dichloroethane can also be found in the 

environment as a breakdown product of 1,1,1­

trichloroethane in landfills where air comes in 

contact with 1,1,1-trichloroethane. 1,1­

Dichloroethane not dissolve easily in water. The 

small amounts released to water can evaporate 

easily into the air. 1,1-Dichloroethane remains as a 

vapor in the air for about 2 months and dissolved in 

water for about 5 days. The vapor in air can be 

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 

1,1-DICHLOROETHANE 

CAS#: 75-34-3 

Division of Toxicology December 1990 

washed out by rain or broken down by sunlight. 1,1­

Dichloroethane in water will evaporate. Small 

amounts of 1,1-dichloroethane released to soil can 

also evaporate into the air or move through the soil 

to enter groundwater. It is not known how long 1,1­

dichloroethane remains in the soil. 

Although it does not dissolve easily in water, low 

levels can be found in water. 

1.2 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO 1,1-

DICHLOROETHANE? 

You can be exposed to 1,1-dichloroethane by 

breathing air containing its vapors in the outdoor air 

or in your workplace, or by drinking water 

contaminated with it. Releases from industrial 

processes are the main source of this chemical in 

the air. Some members of the general population 

may be exposed to low levels of 1,1-dichloroethane 

from this source (0.08-0.14 parts per billion [1 part 

1,1-dichloroethane per 1 billion parts of air, or 

ppb]). 

Levels in this range have been measured around 

industrial plants in Magna, Utah (0.082 ppb); 

Iberville, Louisiana (0.12 ppb); Deer Park, Texas 

(0.14 ppb); and Baton Rouge (0.058 ppb) and 

Geismary, Louisiana (0.14 ppb). You may be part 

of a much smaller population of workers who could 

be exposed to higher levels of 1,1-dichloroethane in 

your workplace, if you are employed in the 

chemical, rubber and plastic, electrical, or oil and 

gas industries. However, since current levels of 

production and use are not known, it is difficult to 

predict how often exposure might occur from these 

sources of 1,1-dichloroethane. 

Exposure can also occur near sites where the 

chemical was improperly disposed of or spilled on 

the ground. The average concentration of 1,1­

dichloroethane in the air across the United States is 

reported to be 55 parts of 1,1-dichloroethane per 

one trillion parts of air (ppt). These ambient levels 

may be from chlorinated water or building 

materials. 

The air levels of 1,1-dichloroethane are usually 

lower in rural areas and higher in industrialized 

areas. Higher levels have been found in the air 

around some small sources of release, such as 

hazardous waste sites. 

1,1-Dichloroethane has been found in drinking 

water (that is, water that has usually been treated 

and that comes out of your tap) in the United States 

at levels that range from trace amounts to 4.8 parts 

of 1,1-dichloroethane per one billion parts of water 

(ppb). 1,1-Dichloroethane has not been detected in 

any surface water samples from rivers, lakes, or 

ponds. No information is available on background 

levels of 1,1-dichloroethane in soil or food. 

1.3 HOW CAN 1,1-DICHLOROETHANE 

ENTER AND LEAVE MY BODY? 

1,1-Dichloroethane can enter your body if you 

breathe contaminated air or drink contaminated 

water. 1,1-Dichloroethane is believed to rapidly 

enter your body when it is breathed or swallowed. It 

is not known what factors affect how quickly 1,1­

dichloroethane enters your body. Studies in animals 

show that it is likely that 1,1-dichloroethane can 

also enter your body through your skin. 

The most common way you could be exposed to 

1,1-dichloroethane released from hazardous waste 

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 

1,1-DICHLOROETHANE 

CAS#: 75-34-3 

Division of Toxicology December 1990 

sites would be by breathing contaminated air around 

the site. Soil and water in and around hazardous 

waste sites are not likely to contain high 

concentrations of 1,1-dichloroethane because it 

escapes quickly into the air. Therefore, though this 

route of exposure cannot be ruled out, exposure of 

the skin from soil or water contaminated with 1,1­

dichloroethane is much less likely. 

Experiments in animals indicate that the 1,1­

dichloroethane that is inhaled or swallowed may go 

to many organs of the body, depending on the 

amount taken in. However, most of the 1,1­

dichloroethane taken in is usually removed 

unchanged from the body in the breath within 2 

days. A small part of the 1,1-dichloroethane taken 

in is broken down, and these breakdown products 

are quickly removed in the breath or urine. 

1.4 HOW CAN 1,1-DICHLOROETHANE 

AFFECT MY HEALTH? 

Reliable information on how 1,1-dichloroethane 

affects the health of humans is not available. 

Because brief exposures to 1,1-dichloroethane in 

the air at very high levels have caused death in 

animals (16,000 ppm), it is likely that exposure to 

such high levels of 1,1-dichloroethane in the air can 

also cause death in humans. 

Some studies in animals have shown that 1,1­

dichloroethane can cause kidney disease after longterm, high-level exposure in the air. 1,1­

Dichloroethane caused cancer in animals given very 

high doses (over 3,000 mg/kg/day) by mouth for a 

lifetime. Delayed growth was observed in the 

offspring of animals who breathed high 

concentrations of 1,1-dichloroethane during 

pregnancy. 

The severity of these effects may increase when 

people or animals are exposed to increased levels of 

1,1-dichloroethane. Since these effects were seen in 

animals at high doses, it is also possible that they 

could occur in humans exposed to high levels of 

1,1-dichloroethane. However, we have no 

information to indicate that these effects do occur in 

humans. 

1.5 WHAT LEVELS OF EXPOSURE HAVE 

RESULTED IN HARMFUL HEALTH 

EFFECTS? 

There is no reliable information on what levels of 

exposure to 1,1-dichloroethane have resulted in 

harmful health effects in people. 

In animals, birth defects were seen in the offspring 

of rats exposed to high levels (1,750 parts per 

million [ppm]) in air. 

1.6 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO 

DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN 

EXPOSED TO 1,1-DICHLOROETHANE? 

Tests are available that measure 1,1-dichloroethane 

in urine, blood, breath and body tissues. Because 

urine, blood, and breath samples are easily obtained, 

these samples are examined to determine if a person 

has been exposed to 1,1-dichloroethane. These tests 

are not routinely available at a doctor's office and 

would require special equipment for sampling and 

detection of the compound. Since most of the 1,1­

dichloroethane that is taken into the body leaves 

within two days, these tests must be done soon after 

exposure occurs. 

Although these tests can confirm that a person has 

been exposed to 1,1-dichloroethane, it is not yet 

possible to use the test results to predict the type 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 

1,1-DICHLOROETHANE 

CAS#: 75-34-3 

Division of Toxicology December 1990 

severity of any health effects that might occur or the 

level of exposure that may have occurred. Because 

exposure to 1,1-dichloroethane at hazardous waste 

sites is likely to include exposure to other similar 

chemicals at the some time, levels of 1,1­

dichloroethane measured through these types of 

medical tests may not reflect exposure to 1,1­

dichloroethane alone. 

1.7 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO 

PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH? 

There are no regulatory standards or advisories for 

1,1-dichloroethane in drinking water and food. The 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has 

determined that any release to the environment in 

excess of 1,000 pounds should be reported. Rules 

and regulations have been developed to protect 

individuals from the potential health effects of 1,1­

dichloroethane in air. The American Conference of 

Governmental Industrial hygienists (ACGIH) has 

set a threshold limit value (TLV) of 810 mg/m3 (200 

ppm) 1,1-dichloroethane in workroom air to protect 

workers during an 8-hour shift over a 40-hour work 

week. The Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) has issued a permissible 

exposure limit (PEL) of 400 mg/m3, (98.9 ppm). 

The federal recommendations have been updated as 

of July 1999. 

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 

References 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

(ATSDR). 1990. Toxicological profile for 1,1­

dichloroethane. 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