TOXNET FPL-04911/9/16, 4:34 PM Mobile Help FAQs TOXNET Fact Sheet Training Manual & Schedule TOXNET Home > HSDB Home > HSDB Search Results > Full Record HSDB: TETRACHLOROETHYLENE CASRN: 127-18-4 This record appears in multiple databases. View record in another database: HSDB Download this Record Print Select Record My List Permalink Recent related PubMed toxicology articles TABLE OF CONTENTS Tetrachloroethylene Expand all Show Selected Items Clear CASRN: 127-18-4 Collapse all Closest Match to Search Terms Full Record Human Health Effects Emergency Medical Treatment Animal Toxicity Studies Metabolism/ Pharmacokinetics Pharmacology Environmental Fate & Exposure Environmental Standards & FULL RECORD DISPLAY Regulations Displays all fields in the record. Chemical/Physical Properties For other data, click on the Table of Contents Chemical Safety & Handling Occupational Exposure Standards Manufacturing/Use Information Laboratory Methods Human Health Effects: Special References Synonyms and Identifiers Administrative Information Evidence for Carcinogenicity: Show Selected Items Clear Evaluation: There is limited evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of tetrachloroethylene. There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of tetrachloroethylene. Overall evaluation: Tetrachloroethylene is probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A). In making the overall evaluation, the working group considered the following evidence: (1) Although tetrachloroethylene is known to induce peroxisome proliferation in mouse liver, a poor quantitative correlation was seen between peroxisome proliferation and tumor formation in the liver after administration of tetrachloroethylene by inhalation. The spectrum of mutations in proto- oncogenes in liver tumors from mice treated with tetrachloroethylene is different from that in liver tumors from mice treated with trichloroethylene. (2) The cmpd induced leukemia in rats. (3) Several epidemiological studies showed elevated risks for esophageal cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and cervical cancer. [IARC. Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Humans. Geneva: World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1972-PRESENT. (Multivolume work). Available at: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php p. 63 204 (1995)] **PEER REVIEWED** A3: Confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists TLVs and BEIs. Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices. Cincinnati, OH 2010, p. 55] **PEER REVIEWED** https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~LoIJND:1 Page 1 of 135 FPL-049-001 TOXNET 11/9/16, 4:34 PM Tetrachloroethylene: reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. [DHHS/National Toxicology Program; Eleventh Report on Carcinogens: Tetrachloroethylene (127-18-4) (January 2005). Available from, as of July 31, 2009: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s169tetr.pdf **PEER REVIEWED** Human Toxicity Excerpts: /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ ... Subjects exposed for 7 hours at 101 ppm tetrachloroethylene had eye irritation and subjective symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, and sleepiness. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the TLV's and BEI's with Other World Wide Occupational Exposure Values. CD-ROM Cincinnati, OH 45240-4148 2010.] **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ Irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat and central nervous system depression were experienced by 17 subjects, exposed to 685 mg of tetrachloroethylene per cu m air. Coordination was impaired within 3 hr of exposure. [WHO; Environmental Health Criteria Document No. 31: Tetrachloroethylene (127-18-4). Available from, as of September 20, 2010: http://www.inchem.org/pages/ehc.html] **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ Several studies of the effects of prolonged exposure to perchloroethylene vapors on human volunteers are avail. ... Prolonged exposure to 200 ppm results in early signs of CNS depression, while there was no response in men or women repeatedly exposed to 100 ppm for 7 hr/day. Clinical chemical studies indicate no liver or kidney effects at these levels but massive exposure to concentrations causing unconsciousness have resulted in proteinuria & hematuria. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1986., p. 464] **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ Sensory changes and mild elation were reported by volunteers exposed to tetrachloroethene vapor at 3250 mg/cu m for 130 min. Lassitude, mental fogginess, and exhilaration were experienced at 6280 mg/cu m for 95 min, and inebriation resulted when this was increased to 10 000 mg/cu m. Subjects found exposure to 13 400 mg/cu m intolerable. [International Programme on Chemical Safety's Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents Number 68: Tetrachloroethene (127-18-4). Available from, as of September 20, 2010: http://www.inchem.org/pages/cicads.html **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ ... Six volunteers were exposed at 570-900 mg/cu m vapor for 1 hr /had eye irritation/. Dizziness and sleepiness were felt at 1420-1620 mg/cu m for 0.75-2 hr, while exposure to 1420-2450 mg/cu m for up to 2 hr caused lightheadedness, a sense of irresponsibility, nausea, and impaired motor coordination. [International Programme on Chemical Safety's Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents Number 68: Tetrachloroethene (127-18-4). Available from, as of September 20, 2010: http://www.inchem.org/pages/cicads.html **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ Eleven healthy adults were exposed at 690 mg/cu m for 7 hr, and a further five subjects were exposed daily for 5 days. Three subjects had difficulty in maintaining equilibrium in the Romberg test within the first 3 hr but performed normally when given a second chance. Performance on the other tests was not impaired. An additional subject, exposed during the 3rd day of testing, showed a slight deterioration in his Romberg https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~LoIJND:1 Page 2 of 135 FPL-049-002 TOXNET 11/9/16, 4:34 PM test and complained of slight dizziness and slight impairment of his intellectual faculties after 1 hr of exposure. [International Programme on Chemical Safety's Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents. Number 68: Tetrachloroethene (127-18-4). Available from, as of September 20, 2010: http://www.inchem.org/pages/cicads.html **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ ... /In a/ 5-week study, 3-4 healthy men were exposed 1, 3, or 7.5 hr/day, 5 days/week, to tetrachloroethene at about 0, 140, 690, or 1000 mg/cu m ... EEG recordings made during exposure suggested altered patterns indicative of cortical depression in males and females exposed to tetrachloroethene at 690 mg/cu m for 7.5 hr. Recordings of visual evoked responses and equilibrium tests were normal in men and women. Men were given neurobehavioral tests of cognitive function, motor function, motor/cognitive function, and time estimation; performance was not statistically significantly affected by exposure. The performance of men on a second test of motor function (Flanagan coordination) was statistically significantly decreased (P < 0.05) when compared with the response at 0 mg/cu m on at least 1 day during the weeks of tetrachloroethene exposure at 690 and 1000 mg/cu m. [International Programme on Chemical Safety's Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents. Number 68: Tetrachloroethene (127-18-4). Available from, as of September 20, 2010: http://www.inchem.org/pages/cicads.html **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ Five volunteers placed their thumbs in beakers of tetrachloroethylene for 30 minutes. Within 5-10 minutes, all subjects had a burning sensation. After the thumb was removed from the solvent, the burning decreased during the next 10 minutes. Marked erythema, which cleared l-2 hours after exposure, was present in all cases. [U.S. Dept Health & Human Services/Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry; Toxicological Profile for Number 18: Tetrachloroethylene p. 86-87 (September 1997). Available from as of September 27, 2010: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/index.asp **PEER REVIEWED** /HUMAN EXPOSURE STUDIES/ Researchers randomly allocated 22 healthy young male subjects to exposure to tetrachloroethylene at 10 ppm or 50 ppm in a chamber for 4 hours on 4 consecutive days, and blood samples were taken for tetrachloroethylene testing and visual and neurophysiologic tests were performed. All subjects had normal visual acuity and no previous solvent exposure. Increased latency in visual evoked potentials (VEPs) was observed in subjects exposed to tetrachloroethylene at 50 ppm, and decreased latency at 10 ppm; the greatest effect was observed on the last day of exposure. VEPs with the smallest visual angle and on the last day of exposure provided the greatest intergroup differences. VCS tests on five subjects (two at 50 ppm and three at 10 ppm) showed improvement at the low and intermediate spatial frequencies in the 10-ppm group but loss in the 50-ppm group. Brainstem auditory evoked potentials were not associated with tetrachloroethylene exposure. The lowest observed- adverse-effect level (LOAEL) appeared to be 10 ppm for VEP outcomes. [Committee to Review