Monsanto



 

Hons-mm co.
I00 N. 

81. Louis. Hulloun sates

Pleas.- ?ldl 

March 18-. 1975

Mr. Dan A. Albert

Starr Supervisor
Personnel-Relations.
Hestinghouse Electric Corporation
Highway 58 West

South Boston, Virginia 2&592

Dear Mr. Albert:

Attached are responses to the questions listed in your
letter dated February 3, 1975.

In addition to the industrial hygiene practices described
in our responses to your questions, I cannot overemphasize
the need to properly control the use and handling of
Inerteens to prevent their escape into the environment.
Also, in discussing this information with your employees,

I strongly recommend that the perspective gained from over
to years or experience in which no human harm has_resulted,
be emphasized. In summary, the proper handling or Inerteens
should pose no environmental or human health problems.
permitting society's continued use or a very valuable
naterialIn?. h. ..

II

I hope the above information is useful to you. it I can
be or further service please let me know.

Sincerely.
4 x<7 
I). ?57wa
w. B. Pspageorge

Manager, Product Acceptability
Specialty a Process Chemicals

UB?:pd

[51001 256

cl Ileana-Is Cell-u" GBRN 00 1691

164



.WJ: 



?Iv

1. Question: Does Inerteen have permanent effects on the

2.

human body? If so, what type of permanent damage and
how long?a period of time does it take for this to
develop? If not, explain why, if-possible.

The biphenyls in InertQEn can have
effects on the human body. permanent

not be expected to cause either the skin eruptions or demonstrable
liver injury. The problem arises from repeated and prolonged
exposure to atmospheric concentrations in excess of the accepted
Threshold Limit Levels or repeated and prolonged skin contact.

The biphenyls have not been recognized as ski
"irritants" in the same sense that caustic materials or many
organic chemicals are irritants. Because of their "solvent"
action in removing the natural fats and oils from the skin,

leaching, drying and chapping, repeated and prolonged skin contact
should be avoided.

When the biphenyls are mixed with other chlori-
nated hydrocarbons, the mixture may be classified as a skin
irritant. -

The potential toxic effects in humans from excessive exposure

to biphenyls include injury to the liver and
chloracne. In animals,-the liver effect is demonstrated by
increased liver weights and injury to cellular tissue. Although
chloracne is difficult to evaluate in animals, in humans, this
take the fonm of comedones (large blackheads with typical ac'te
pustules) and may be an external of over exposure pre-
ceding serious liver injury.

Animal data and human experience indicate that the toxic effects
are similar whether exposure results from ingestion, inhalation

- of vapors, or absorption of the liquid material through the

unbroken skin.

(See um avg-ionic Guide Series - "Chlorodiphenyls" attached.)

Question: Several hourly employees have mentioned recently
that many chemicals such as Inerteen cause sterilization
after prolonged use. Is this true?

There is no evidence that biphenyls cause
"sterilization" in humans.

mm as?

hu?? 001542

4 165





3.

5.



Question: Since Inerteen effects birds and other animals
if there is no real effects to human beings, how do"
you explain it to employees in such a way that they Will
understand why it can kill a bird and not a human?

There is a potential real effect to humans - including death -
as discussed in the answer to Question 1.

Due to differences in metabolism of food (and food contami-
nants) in birds and humans (and particularly the difference
in the reproduction process in birds and mammals - inclu-
ding humans), birds are particualrly sensitive to many

chlorinated.hydrocarbons including biphenyls.

Question: If an employee spills Inerteen on his clothing
and later takes the clothing home to be we ed with other
clothes,?will this have any effect on he or his family
and should be carry his clothes home to be washed?

There should not be'any effect on an employee or his family
from home laundering of work clothing. If washed with other
clothing, there may be residual odor of the chlorinated
hydrocarbons in the clothing.

Question: Employees carry Inerteen home on the soles of their
shoes and complain quite a bit about the effect Inerteen
has on wearing out their shoes. Is this a serious problem?
will Inerteen in the soles and leather of shoes, over a
long period of time, have an effect on the feet and skin
since the shoe is the only protective equipment we wear
on our feet and the Inerteen penetrates through the
leather.

There should not be biphenyl on the floor for
workmen to contaminate their shoes to carry home. The plas-
ticizer or solvent action will destroy or shorten the life

of the shoes. More importantly, the wearing of contaminated
shoes could lead to absorption of the liquid through the soles
of the feet as through any other unbroken skin surface.

Question: There is one employee in our plant who had no pro-
blem whatsoever with Inerteen years ago. After six years
of using, now when he works in Inerteen (which is a part
of his Job) he develops a swelling on the inner bicep of
his left arm, only in one location. Could this be from
Inerteen or not? It goes away as soon as he gets out of
the Inerteen. It is similar to the swelling after taking
an inJection.

'Enn12s3

GBRN 001.6%!

166

7.

He do not believe there can be any association between

"a swelling on the inner bicep" of the arm and
biphenyls, exposure to

Question: Are there hand cleaning solvent materials that
we should be using when working in Inerteen to coat
our skin before working in it and to wash it off 
after we finish working in it? Please give your
recommendation._ Our employees working in Inerteen
are not able to use gloves since it is an assembly

area. Even if they could, the Inerteen would destroy
the protective glove.

we assume the question refers to the use of "Barrier Creams"
rather than a ?hand cleaning solvent".

There are a number of barrier creams available to protect
workers against water insoluble solvents. Probably the most
effective include silicone "to provide an impenetrable shield".
A probleu with such creams is that they may offer a false
sense of security. 

?roper use includes a discipline which requires liberal appli-
cation at the beginning of a work shift and after each washing
of the hands during the work day.

E001269

001949

167


w/

HYGIEMC GUIDE SERIES 
Chlorodiphenyls

(Containing 42% and 54% Chlorine)



Irtl?

 


oil-turno-

i
if 3:11.- .17 .
. 
It
i

 

C1:

(nus-30:55) -

my

 

Signi?canl Phyaical Propariiet'

The chlorotjliphenrla In light amt-colored mobile chlorinated} and viacoua [50%
chlonnated] !lquldl U'llh typical chlorinated aromatic adore. These compounds are chlorinated
I: W5: yet'hu of chlorine. Chlorodiphenyl coolaina 42.0 0.5 chlorine. an munt
to three chlorine atoms In unaligned poutiona. Chhrodiphenyl [bl?j contains
H.37- chlortne to ?ve-chlorine atom in unaligned potiu'otu. Both compound:

are inaoluhle in water. but aoluhle to
elk-dorm.

Maintain weight: 
?nt (Cleveland
0. Cull:
Ditillatioo tuna-e: 
indie purity: 

Vapor [tr-tn:

- 0'0 QWI 
not (at)
to:
mm 20.0 I.

At and 700 Ian Hg:
lacuna-d air contain 0.0? ate/liter
u?iter 
I pp 8 0.010 nuliter

t. Hum: Standard:

A. Minamoto nautical. "?oat-tint:
mutant-canon (0 hours): One milli-
m-drlorocliphenyl per cubic
:lteter oi ?ame; 0.5 milngt-un chm-:-f

9' cu ic meter
ohm it ampere? the remit: oi

cult-mama r4295)
.3:



. acetone. any! alcohol. ether and

(34 
326.45

309-390":
1.4954505


omooc turn
0.000? too: (eat)
L4 taro

0.0 I.

mil"

74.9 
0.01! tog/liter

chronic animal inhalation studies}

I. 'Satoa'r. anon-u ruuauncz: Ten mg
of a of unspeci?ed chlorine
content per cubic meter of air has been
reported at unbearably irritating.?

C. Amoarttutt: mateot-
a?rux 70 Litre: Not Loom:
for roan. Irritation oi the eyes. nose
Ind throat at level: which have not
cauacd aeutc preclude the likeli-
hood a! voluntary exposure to immedi-
ately concentrations.

?950

0?1?~5

168'



II. Teeie Propertiee
A. haunt-tort: Experiment! with chloro-

diphutyl (42% chlorine) were run at
concentrations of 8.6 tag/liter and at
6.83 sag/liter of air. Cats. rniee. rabbits
and rats were unaffected by die higher
he] while guinea pigs thawed poor
growth after seventeen 7-hour/day ea-
?lm over 24 days. Eighty-four 7.-

r/day exposures at the lower cort-
outtration had essentially no e?'ect on
?nilar species 0! animals.?

In the case of chlorodiphenyl (54%
chbrine) eighty-three 7-hour/day 
pc-tres over 121 days to a eoneuttra-
tion of 5.4 rig/liter resulted in injury to
liver cells and increased liver weights in
rate. At a concentration of 1.5 tug/liter
for use hundred and ?fty 7-hour/day
exposure-s over 213 den, the rats
showed distinct microscopic changes in
the liver!

The literature contains many refer-
nou to the potential toxic effects oi
chlorinated diphen'yle in man and ani-
mals. The early work included investi-
?ations chlorinated naphthalene-s.

chlorinated diphenylt. chlorinated

diplsenyl oxide and various mixture: of
these. An early report indicated serious
Isaac from chlorodiphenyl chlori-
nated to extent of A later

by rinci an or proper 
mod the I:arlieIrntample at a mitt-
ture chlorinated diphens'l and chlori-
oatui diphenyl brinaene! Homer. only
a {ere author: of subsequent papera. bril-
htine or tails-ooh have noted this cor-
rection and the original data are cited

repeatedly as relating to chlorinated
1 
3. Sure comm: Both compounds are

?lmy ahnrhed thrusgh the clipped.
istact shin oi rabbits. The minimum
lethal dc when the undiluted mate-
riah were applied to the covered
?ned. 'ntaet skin at rahhita for 24
Ml! tree approximately 1.0 (tn/Hg for
til 42% chlorinated and 1.5 for
die 54$ chlorinated."

Intel actiononutesltin iesirnilarto
th. ed ceenrnort mic solvents where

January-February, l96?5

Human case: of chloracne have not
reported from the use of these two
speci?c chlorodtphenyle. The potential
undoubtedly ertutr because of cares
which tin-ere reported from the use of
With a higher chlorine
Mimi and from mixtures with other
chlorinated aromatic compounds)? 

. En comm: The liquid productt and

their vapor-t are moderately irritating to
time.

. luau-non: The acute oral toxicities oi

the undiluted compounds are-not great
as eiridenced by oral LDu's in rats of
approximately 8:65 gm (7.61 to 9.18
gm) per kilogram for the 42% chlori-
nated and 11.9 gm (105B to 13.45 gm)
alarm-am {or the 54%: chlorinated.?

tr'al au'ophy of the liver appears to
he the chief toxic effect.

Ill. India-trial Hygiene Practice
A. Drove-mar. trees: The chlorodiphenyla

are used as dielectric: {or condenser-t,
capacitor: and trarul?onnert. plasticizers

:m retina. in emulsion adhes-

nre's. as :oon?amrnable hydraulic ?uids
and at u'ensier media.

I. or star-owner:

1. Air aampiing end Myra}:
a. Direct-?eld-metlsoda: None
5. Laboratory methods:

(1) Collect in neondary butyl
alcohol in {titted bubble: or
taro large impingers in
series; concentrate temple
and complete analysis by one
of various methods [or chlo-

rinated hydrocarbons!

staple air may. corn 

bustier: furnace, collect
chloride ion irom deconta-

posed chlorodiphenyl in'

Isitahle alkaline tolution and
determine chloride ion con-


C. Hanna atto meta areosnrerroeo

come:

I. Inhalation: Absorption is chie?y by
inhalation. Concentrations in the
workroom atmosphere mould be
maintained below tlte'teootnrnended
levels Where the chlorinated


mm 251

169

 



I
it
Va.

[canary-February. I965

lures. the hazard of inhalation is
uts'idesed slight or absent. When
these materials are subjected to
elevated temperatures. the process
either should be completely-enclosed
tr other adequate truechanical et-
haust vustilation must be protn'ded
to reduce concentrations to ?le
levels. In heat transfer media appli-
cations. the system must be designed
and constructed so that it is leak-
proof. Special gasket maten'al's and
amp salt are available to prevent
ltage. The r?servoir tank should
be airtight except for a vent to the
outdoors. in the event oi spills or
leaks of hot ?uids. use chunical
urtridge respirators or gas masks
approved by the U. Bureau of
Mines for rotection against organic
vapors. etc will provide good
protection up to the concentrations
shown on the approval labels and
the odor will give ample warning ii
it comes through the device.

.2. Shin contact: Operations and handl-

procedures should be such as to
wow the possibility of prolonged or
repeated skin contact. Contaminated
clothing must he laundered before
some.
3. contort: protection ?tould
be used where there is a possibility
0! liquid splashes.

4. Ingestion: Ingestion o! these mate-

rials is not a problem in industry. .
5. Fire and explosion: The 
phenyls are ?re-resistant or essenti-
ally out?arnmable liquids When
spend to ?ame or hot asrl'aces
they may decompose to [oust CO.

301. phutplics and aldehydt: -
depending

at the temper-awn. avail-
ability area oi the heated
Isrface. me 01' lication o! the
liquid Is the ace and other
variable;

IV. Had-cal Harts-Mien

A. humor rant-stain: Skin surfaces

to should he

trashed with soap and water

at once. if clothing has been contami-
latter it should be retrieved 

espouse to a high vapor concen-

elet-ated tempos-atom. the atient
should be moved from exposure and
kept at rest until seen by a physician.
Oxygen should be administered if
breathing ts 

Eyes conuminated with chlorodi-
phenyl should be irrigated with water
for at least 15 minutes and the patient
shattld be test by a physician. Depend-
ing on the amount oi in?ammation and

pain pruent. drugs like Cortisgorin.
ointment and topical Pontocaine may 

be indicated.

3. Snow. raocaottaas: Persons who are

regularly or repeatedly exposed to chlo-
todiphenyls should be examined pet-indi-
cally to detect early evidence of tltin
'n'ritan'on and/or liver damage. Persons
with known liver disease mould not be

to repeated oonuct with the
'phenyls.

V. him

2.

Massanto Company. anic Chemi-
uls Divin'on: Tech. 331??: 
Aroclor Plutt'cism (Dec. 1960] .

American Conierence of Governmental

Industrial Hygienists: Threshold Limit

Values for 1964. AMA Arch. Ens-iron.
Health 9: 545 (1954). .

Tram. I. R. F. P. Cleveland. I. Cappel,
and R. W. Atchley: The Toxicity of

"the Vapors of Aroelor 1212 and Aroclor

l2?. Amer. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. Quart.
I7.- 204 {1956).

Biking H. 3.: The Chemistry of Indus-
trial Toxicology. John Wiley and Sons.
Inc, New York (I959).

Drinker. C. K.. M. F. Was-rat. and G.
A. Bennett The Problem of Possible
Systemic Eliects front Certain Chlori-

nated Hydrocarbons. J. Ind. ..

. tut. 19:28:; (1937)."



Dnnhu. C. IL: Further Observations
on the Possible Systemic Toxicity of
Cerain of the Chlorinated Hydrocar-
bona J. Ind. Hyg. Toxicol. L55
(1939).

?Wlseelen E. P.: Penna] Communica-
tion, Monsanto Company. St. Louis.
Missouri 53155.

Greta-thug. M. R. Maven. and A.
R. Smith: 11! Systemiccf?'ects ?uult-
bun ?more to stain hluri-
:I'ted Hydrocarbon: I. Ind. Hyg.
Toairol. (1939).

. 

0010??

170

on -on? 


so-

 



 

 cum-u 
C. P. Chair-In Mu: Ht" 2. A. bran ..
N. E. loans 1. A. Housman C. 
2. 2. Gas-lulu. D. I. Hahn I. Ran-cu
J. W. Cums J. IL In. W. Sun-on
H. I. tuna J. I. PIT-luau I. Wang
P. D. mu.? 1. I. Ounmnu 1.. Wm?

Hygienic ?uid: shun run In obtained [an the llul-CAS Imam Imus: unocu.
mu. 14125 Pmt. Den-m: ?27. Hichmuu 25 mm cash for ?lo-put "Drill?: 30 mm each
[or four-me rcpt-mu. All orders In: In: dun mm b! pnpud. Dinnunl of 20?} on
a! ?ve or uni-e Guides: (0'2 discount on order! 0? mu Guides. 5min lame-
lul linden lot the Guide: my she be mend Em Anon-lino 06:: lo: 01.25 cash.

 



. [mm 9.53 .

bean 00104:

1'71