1, 1, 2, 2-Tetrachloroethane

A concise assessment of the risks to human health posed by exposure to 1 1 2 2 'tetrachloroethane, a chemical used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of other chlorinated hydrocarbons. The document is part of a new series of brief reports aimed at the characterization of hazards and dose-response for exposures to selected industrial chemicals. Studies of environmental behavior and fate support the conclusion that 1 1 2 2-tetrachloroethane is unlikely to contribution to the depletion of stratospheric ozone or to global warming. Animal studies indicate that 1 1 2 2-tetrachloroethane has slight to moderate acute toxicity; the liver is the principal target organ. Studies of long-term exposure demonstrated a significant increase in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas in mice, but not in similarly exposed rats. Because of the chemical's declining use, few recent evaluations of toxic effects in humans were available for evaluation.Hughes, K. is the author of '1, 1, 2, 2-Tetrachloroethane', published 1998 under ISBN 9789241530033 and ISBN 9241530030.