Common Name: Diethyl Phthalate CAS Number: 84-66-2 DOT Number: None Date: January, 1989 ------------------------------------------ HAZARD SUMMARY * Diethyl Phthalate can affect you when breathed in. * Diethyl Phthalate should be handled as a teratogen with extreme caution. * Exposure to heated vapors can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. * Contact may irritate the eyes and skin. * Repeated exposure may cause nerve damage, with pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms and legs. IDENTIFICATION Diethyl Phthalate is a colorless, odorless, oily liquid with a bitter taste. It is used as a solvent, as a vehicle for pesticide sprays, and in perfume manufacture. REASON FOR CITATION * Diethyl Phthalate is on the Workplace Hazardous Substance List because it is cited by ACGIH. * Definitions are attached. HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results from your employer. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.20. * If you think you are experiencing any work related health problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 5 mg/m3 averaged over an 8 hour workshift and 10 mg/m3 as a STEL (short term exposure limit). * Diethyl Phthalate may be a teratogen. All contact with this chemical should be reduced to the lowest possible level. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. * Wear protective work clothing. * Wash thoroughly at the end of the workshift. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training effort, communicate all information on the health and safety hazards of Diethyl Phthalate to potentially exposed workers. This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all potential and most severe health hazards that may result from exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential effects described below. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Acute Health Effects The following acute (short term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Diethyl Phthalate: * Exposure to heated vapors can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. * Contact can irritate the eyes and skin. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Diethyl Phthalate and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Diethyl Phthalate has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. Reproductive Hazard * There is limited evidence that Diethyl Phthalate is a teratogen in animals. Until further testing has been done, it should be treated as a possible teratogen in humans. Other Long Term Effects * Prolonged exposure may affect the nervous system, causing pain and numbness in the arms and legs. * A mild decrease in white blood cells and platelets may occur. MEDICAL TESTING If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the following are recommended: * Medical exam of the nervous system. * Complete blood count and differential. Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.20. WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is enclosing operations and/or providing local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is sometimes necessary. In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: (1) how hazardous the substance is; (2) how much of the substance is released into the workplace, and (3) whether harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Better controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. In addition, the following control is recommended: * Where possible, automatically pump liquid Diethyl Phthalate from drums or other storage containers to process containers. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * On skin contact with Diethyl Phthalate, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. * Wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Diethyl Phthalate at the end of each work day, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Diethyl Phthalate is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating or smoking. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace controls are being installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may not apply to every situation. Clothing * Avoid skin contact with Diethyl Phthalate. Wear solvent resistant gloves and clothing. Safety equipment suppliers/ manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove/ clothing material for your operation. * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put on before work. Eye Protection * Wear splash proof chemical goggles and face shield when working with liquid, unless full facepiece respiratory protection is worn. Respiratory Protection IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. Such equipment should only be used if the employer has a written program that takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134. * Where the potential exists for exposures over 5 mg/m3, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator with an organic vapor cartridge/canister. Increased protection is obtained from full facepiece powered air purifying respirators. * If while wearing a filter, cartridge or canister respirator, you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect Diethyl Phthalate, or in the case of a full facepiece respirator you experience eye irritation, leave the area immediately. Check to make sure the respirator to face seal is still good. If it is, replace the filter, cartridge, or canister. If the seal is no longer good, you may need a new respirator. * Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your workplace. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters, cartridges, or canisters, to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. * Where the potential for high exposures exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved supplied air respirator with a full facepiece operated in the positive pressure mode or with a full facepiece, hood, or helmet in the continuous flow mode, or use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in pressure demand or other positive pressure mode. Common Name: Diethyl Phthalate DOT Number: None DOT Emergency Guide Code: No citation CAS Number: 84-66-2 ---------------------------------------- Hazard rating NJDOH NFPA FLAMMABILITY 1 Not rated REACTIVITY 0 Not rated ---------------------------------------- POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE ---------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Diethyl Phthalate is a COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID. * Use dry chemical, CO2, water spray, or foam extinguishers. * POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE. * If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES If Diethyl Phthalate is spilled or leaked, take the following steps: * Restrict persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill or leak until cleanup is complete. * Absorb liquids in vermiculite, dry sand, earth, or a similar material and deposit in sealed containers. * It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Diethyl Phthalate as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state Environmental Program for specific recommendations. ========================================== FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your Fire Department. ========================================== HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Diethyl Phthalate you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool well ventilated area away from HEAT and OXIDIZING AGENTS (such as PERMANGANATES, NITRATES, CHLORATES, PERCHLORATES, and PEROXIDES). FIRST AID POISON INFORMATION Eye Contact * Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Skin Contact * Remove contaminated clothing. Wash contaminated skin with soap and water. PHYSICAL DATA Vapor Pressure: 14 mm Hg at 163oF Flash Point: 325oF Water Solubility: Insoluble OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES Chemical Name: 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic Acid, Diethyl Ester Other Names and formulations: Diethylester Phthalic Acid, Anozol; DEP; Solvanol; Phthalol. ------------------------------------------ Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial purposes. ------------------------------------------ NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Right to Know Program CN 368, Trenton, NJ 08625 0368 ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION Diethyl Phthalate is a manufactured chemical. It is used as a solvent for cellulose acetate to make varnishes and dopes, as a fixative for perfumes and in denaturing alcohol. It may enter the environment from industrial and municipal discharges. ACUTE (SHORT TERM) ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Acute toxic effects may include the death of animals, birds, or fish, and death or low growth rate in plants. Acute effects are seen two to four days after animals or plants come in contact with a toxic chemical substance. Diethyl Phthalate has moderate acute toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the short- term effects of Diethyl Phthalate to plants, birds, or land animals. CHRONIC (LONG-TERM) ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Chronic toxic effects may include shortened lifespan, reproductive problems, lower fertility, and changes in appearance or behavior. Chronic effects can be seen long after first exposure(s) to a toxic chemical. Diethyl Phthalate has moderate chronic toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the long- term effects of Diethyl Phthalate to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Diethyl Phthalate is slightly soluble in water. Concentrations of less than 1 milligram will mix with a liter of water. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Diethyl Phthalate is slightly persistent in water, with a half-life of between 2 to 20 days. The half-life of a pollutant is the amount of time it takes for one-half of the chemical to be degraded. About 83.5% of Diethyl Phthalate will eventually end up in water; about 11.6% will end up in air; the rest will end up about equally divided in terrestrial soils and aquatic sediments. BIOACCUMULATION IN AQUATIC ORGANISMS Some substances increase in concentration, or bioaccumulate, in living organisms as they breathe contaminated air, drink contaminated water, or eat contaminated food. These chemicals can become concentrated in the tissues and internal organs of animals and humans. The concentration of Diethyl Phthalate found in fish tissues is expected to be somewhat higher than the average concentration of Diethyl Phthalate in the water from which the fish was taken. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL, Duluth, U.S.EPA, Phytotox.