Common Name: Dimethyl Phthalate CAS Number: 131-11-3 DOT Number: None Date: January, 1989 ----------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Dimethyl Phthalate can affect you when breathed in. * Dimethyl Phthalate should be handled as a teratogen with extreme caution. * It may lower fertility in males and females. * Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. IDENTIFICATION Dimethyl Phthalate is a colorless oily liquid with a slightly sweet odor. It is used as a plasticizer and solvent. REASON FOR CITATION * Dimethyl Phthalate is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, NFPA and EPA. * 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 OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 5 mg/m3 averaged over an 8 hour workshift. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 5 mg/m3 averaged over an 8 hour workshift. * Dimethyl 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 Dimethyl 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 Dimethyl Phthalate: * The liquid may irritate the eyes on contact. * Exposure to the hot vapor or mist can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Dimethyl Phthalate and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Dimethyl Phthalate has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. Reproductive Hazard * Dimethyl Phthalate is a possible teratogen in humans and has been shown to be a teratogen in animals. * It may reduce fertility in males and females. * Transfer promptly to a medical facility. Other Long Term Effects * Dimethyl Phthalate has not been tested for other chronic (long term) health effects. MEDICAL Medical Testing There is no special test for this chemical. However, if illness occurs or overexposure is suspected, medical attention is recommended. 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 to enclose operations and/or provide 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. Special 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 Dimethyl 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: * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Dimethyl Phthalate should change into clean clothing promptly. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Dimethyl Phthalate. * On skin contact with Dimethyl Phthalate, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Dimethyl Phthalate, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Dimethyl 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 Dimethyl 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 when working with liquid, unless full face piece 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. * Engineering controls must be effective to ensure that exposure to Dimethyl Phthalate does not occur. * Where the potential exists for exposures to Dimethyl Phthalate, 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 Dimethyl 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 exists for exposures over 5 mg/m3, 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: Dimethyl Phthalate DOT Number: None DOT Emergency Guide code: No Citation CAS Number: 131-11-3 -------------------------------------- Hazard rating NJDOH NFPA FLAMMABILITY - 1 REACTIVITY - 0 ---------------------------------------- POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE ---------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Dimethyl Phthalate is a COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID. * Use dry chemical, CO2, or foam extinguishers. * POISONOUS GAS IS 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 Dimethyl 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. * Remove all ignition sources. * Ventilate area of spill or leak. * 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 Dimethyl 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 Dimethyl Phthalate you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Dimethyl Phthalate must be stored to avoid contact with NITRATES; STRONG ALKALIES such as SODIUM HYDROXIDE, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, and LITHIUM HYDROXIDE; STRONG OXIDIZERS such as CHLORINE, CHLORINE DIOXIDE, and BROMINE; and STRONG ACIDS such as SULFURIC ACID, HYDROCHLORIC ACID, and NITRIC ACID, since violent reactions occur. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool well ventilated area away from HEAT or FLAME. 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. Breathing * Remove the person from exposure. PHYSICAL DATA Vapor Pressure: 1 mm Hg at 212oF (100oC) Flash Point: 295oF (146oC) Water Solubility: Slightly soluble OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES Chemical Name: 1,2 Benzenedicarboxylic Acid, Dimethyl Ester Other Names and Formulations: DMP; Dimethyl-1,2-Benzenedicarboxylate; Methylphthalate. ------------------------------------------ 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 Dimethyl Phthalate is a manufactured chemical. It is used mostly as a solvent and plasticizer for cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate-butyrate manufacturing. It is also used as an insect repellant for personal protection against biting insects. It may enter the environment from industrial 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. Dimethyl Phthalate has moderate acute toxicity to aquatic life and high acute toxicity to birds. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the short-term effects of Dimethyl Phthalate to plants 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. Dimethyl Phthalate has moderate chronic toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the long- term effects of Dimethyl Phthalate to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Dimethyl Phthalate is moderately soluble in water. Concentrations of between 1 to 1,000 milligrams will mix with a liter of water. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Dimethyl 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 97% of this chemical will eventually end up in water; about 3% will end up in air; and about 0.25%, respectively, will end up in terrestrial soil and aquatic sediments. BIOACCUMULATION IN AQUATIC ORGANISMS Some substances increase in concentration, or bioaccumulate, in living oranisms 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 Dimethyl Phthalate found in fish tissues is expected to be somewhat higher than the average concentration of Dimethyl Phthalate in the water from which the fish was taken. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL-Duluth, U.S. EPA.