NFPA Label Key
Material Safety Data Sheet
(University of Utah)
ToxFAQs
CAS# 106-46-7
April 1993
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NFPA Label Key
Material Safety Data Sheet |
| SUMMARY: Exposure to 1,4-dichlorobenzene happens mostly from breathing high levels in indoor air or workplace air. Extremely high exposures can cause dizziness, headaches, and liver problems. 1,4-Dichlorobenzene has been found in at least 244 of 1,300 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency. |
What is 1,4-dichlorobenzene?
(Pronounced di - klo'ro - ben'zeen)
1,4-Dichlorobenzene is a chemical used to control moths, molds, and mildew, and to deodorize restrooms and waste containers. It is also called para-DCB or p-DCB. Other names include Paramoth, para crystals, and paracide reflecting its widespread use to kill moths.
At room temperature, p-DCB is a white or colorless solid with a strong, pungent odor. When exposed to air, it slowly changes from a solid to a vapor. It is the vapor that acts as a deodorizer or insect killer.
Most people recognize the odor as the smell of mothballs, and can smell p-DCB in the air at very low levels.
Most p-DCB in our environment comes from its use in moth repellent products and in toilet deodorizer blocks.
What happens to 1,4-dichlorobenzene when it enters the environment?
There is no evidence that moderate use of common household products that contain p-DCB will result in harmful effects to your health. Harmful effects, however, may occur from high exposures.
Very high usage of p-DCB products in the home can result in dizziness, headaches, and liver problems. Some of the patients who developed these symptoms had been using the products for months or even years after they first began to feel ill.
Workers breathing high levels of p-DCB (1,000 times more than levels in deodorized rooms) have reported painful irritation of the nose and eyes.
There are cases of people who have eaten p-DCB products regularly for months to years because of the sweet taste. These people had skin blotches and lower numbers of red blood cells.
There is no direct evidence that p-DCB can cause birth defects or affect reproduction in humans.
Animal studies indicate that breathing or eating p-DCB can harm the liver, kidney, and blood.
We have no studies on the health effects from skin contact with p-DCB.
How likely is 1,4-dichlorobenzene to cause cancer?
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that p-DCB may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen.
There is no direct evidence that p-DCB can cause cancer in humans, however, animals given very high amounts in water developed liver and kidney tumors.
Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to 1,4-dichlorobenzene?
Tests are available to measure your exposure to p-DCB. The most common test measures a breakdown product of p-DCB called 2,5-dichlorophenolurine. It is measured in the urine and blood.
If there is 2,5-dichlorophenol in the urine, it indicates that the person was exposed to p-DCB within the previous day or two. The test that measures p-DCB in your blood is less common.
These tests require special equipment not routinely available in a doctor's office. You or your doctor will need to send samples to a special laboratory.
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists p-DCB as a hazardous waste to be regulated. The EPA sets a maximum level of 75 micrograms of p-DCB per liter of drinking water (75 µg/L). One µg is one million times less than a gram. p-DCB is also an EPA-registered pesticide. Manufacturers must provide certain information to EPA for it to be used as a pesticide.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets a maximum level of 75 parts of p-DCB per million parts air in the workplace (75 ppm) for an 8-hour day, 40-hour workweek.
Glossary
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 1993. Toxicological profile for 1,4-dichlorobenzene. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
Where can I get more information?
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize, evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances. You can also contact your community or state health or environmental quality department if you have any more questions or concerns. For more information, contact:
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services