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tion before exposing persons impaired renal func- aluminum orr�esium powder, sodium and potas- ' ^ tion. sium may cause tires and explosions. —Cardiovascular disease: Because of reports of ex- 3. Hazardous decomposition products: Toxic gases ' cessive carbon monoxide levels following exposure to and vapors (such as hydrogen chloride, phosgene, and methylene chloride, persons with cardiac disease may carbon monoxide) may be released in a fire involving be at increased risk. methylene chloride. —A complete blood count: A complete blood count 4. Special precautions: Liquid methylene chloride should be performed,including a red cell count,a white will attack some forms of plastics, rubber, and coatings. cell count, a differential count of a stained smear, as Flammability well as hemoglobin and hematocrit. Carboxyhemoglo- 1. Flash point:None with normal test method bin values should also be determined periodically, and 2. Autoignition temperature:556 C(1033 F) any level above 5% should prompt an investigation of 3. Flammable limits in air, % by volume:(at elevated the worker and his workplace. temperatures)Lower: 12;Upper: 19 2. Periodic Medica! Examination: The aforementioned 4. Extinguishant: Dry chemical, carbon dioxide, medical examinations should be repeated on an annual foam basis. Warning properties • Summary of toxicology 1. Odor Threshold: Different authors have reported Methylene chloride vapor is a mild narcotic. Exposure varying odor thresholds for methylene chloride. of animals to 15,000 ppm for 7 hours was fatal. Animal Summer and May both report 150 ppm; Kirk-Othmer experiments have shown that continuous exposure,to and Sax both report 25 to 50 ppm; Spector reports 320 1,000 ppm can be lethal in 5 to 7 weeks for dogs and tat ppm. Patty, however, states that since one can become fatty livers, icterus, pneumonia, and splenic atrophy adapted to the odor, it cannot be considered an ade- developed in dogs. Cardiac arrhytmias attributed to quate warning property. sensitization of the myocardium have been observed 2, Eye Irritation Level:Grant reports that methylene t following exposure to high concentrations of some chloride "presents no particular hazard to the eyes." chlorinated hydrocarbons, but dogs exposed to 10,000 Kirk-Othmer, however, reports that "methylene chlo- and 20,000 ppm of methylene chloride did not show this ride vapor is seriously damaging to the eyes." Sax phenomenon. In human experiments, inhalation of 500 agrees with Kirk-Othmer's statement. to 1000 ppm for 1 to 2 hours resulted in lightheadedness; The Documentation of TL[^s states that irritation of there was sustained elevation It cazdea hsini bin the eyes has been observed in workers who had been level. High exposures have resulted in deaths in Indus- exposed to concentrations up to 5000 ppm, but that trial situations. Lower but unknown concentrations neurasthenic disorders were found in 50%and digestive have caused such symptoms as lightheadedness, weak- disturbances in 30%of the persons exposed. ness, nausea, and "drunken behavior," resulting in mis- 3, Other Information: Gleason reports that methy- takes and accidental falls. Phosgene poisoning has been lene chloride may be"irritating to the respiratory tract reported to occur in several cases where methylene and may produce pulmonary edema" but chloride was used in the presence of an open fire. y p p y gives no Liquid methylene chloride is irritating to the skin on quantitative information. The Documentation of TLVs repeated contact. Splashed in the eye, it is painfully reports that in one investigation, irritation of the respi- ratory passages was observed in workers who had been irritating, but is not likely to cause serious injury. exposed to concentrations up to 5000 ppm. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES 4. Evaluation of Warning Properties: Since no de- tailed information is available relating the irritant effects • Physical data of methylene chloride to air concentrations and since 1. Molecular weight:84.9 adaptation to the odor occurs, methylene chloride is 2. Boiling point(760 mm Hg):39.8 C(104 F) treated as a material with poor warning properties. 3. Specific gravity(water = 1): 1.3 4. Vapor density (air = 1 at boiling point of methy- MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT lene chloride):2.9 - PROCEDURES 5. Melting point: —97 C(-142 F) 6. Vapor pressure at 20 C(68 F):350 mm Hg Eight-Hour Exposure Evaluation 7. Solubility in water, g/100 g water at 20 C (68 F): Measurements to determine employee exposure are best 1.32 taken so that the average eight-hour exposure is based 8. Evaporation rate(butyl acetate = 1):27.5 on a single eight-hour sample or on two four-hour • Reactivity samples. Several short-time interval samples (up to 30 1. Conditions contributing to instability: Heat and minutes) may also be used to determine the average moisture exposure level. Air samples should be taken in the 2. Incompatibilities: Contact with strong oxidizers, employee's breathing zone (air that would most nearly strong caustics, and chemically active metals such as represent that inhaled by the employee). 2 Methylene Chloride September 1978