Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

VINYLIDENE CHLORIDE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Reactive monomer in manufacture of vinylidene polymer plastics and copolymers.
Intermediate

SYNONYMS

C2-H2-Cl2, CH2CCl2, "1, 1-dichloroethylene", "1, 1-dichloroethylene", "1, 1-
dichloroethene", "1, 1-dichloroethene", "ethene, 1, 1-dichloro-", "ethene, 1, 1-
dichloro-", "vinylidene dichloride", VDC, VDCl, VDDCl, Sconatex

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

May form explosive peroxides.
Harmful by inhalation.
Toxic if swallowed.
Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.
Possible risk of irreversible effects.
Extremely flammable.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Toxic effects may result from the accidental ingestion of the material; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 40 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  

EYE

  Although the liquid is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may produce transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn).  The vapour when concentrated has pronounced eye irritation effects and this gives some warning of high vapour concentrations. If eye irritation occurs seek to reduce exposure with available control measures, or evacuate area.  

SKIN

  Skin contact is not thought to produce harmful health effects (as classified using animal models). Systemic harm, however, has been identified following exposure of animals by at least one other route and the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions. Good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting.  Repeated exposure may cause skin cracking, flaking or drying following normal handling and use.  Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected.  

INHALED

  Inhalation of vapors or aerosols (mists, fumes), generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be harmful.  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can cause, if inhaled once, irreversible damage of organs.  The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of vapors, fumes or aerosols, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  Inhalation of vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness. This may be accompanied by narcosis, reduced alertness, loss of reflexes, lack of coordination and vertigo.  Acute intoxication by halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons appears to take place over two stages. Signs of a reversible narcosis are evident in the first stage and in the second stage signs of injury to organs may become evident, a single organ alone is (almost) never involved.  At sufficiently high doses the material may be hepatotoxic(i.e. poisonous to the liver).  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  There has been some concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  There is some evidence that human exposure to the material may result in developmental toxicity. This evidence is based on animal studies where effects have been observed in the absence of marked maternal toxicity, or at around the same dose levels as other toxic effects but which are not secondary non-specific consequences of the other toxic effects.  Chronic solvent inhalation exposures may result in nervous system impairment and liver and blood changes. [PATTYS].  At sufficiently high doses the material may be hepatotoxic(i.e. poisonous to the liver).  At sufficiently high doses the material may be nephrotoxic(i.e. poisonous to the kidney).  Vinylidene chloride is toxic to the liver and kidneys. After exposure to 48 ppm continuously for 90 days, liver damage was evident in rats and deaths occurred among monkeys and guinea pigs. In this study only rats showed evidence of renal (kidney) tubular injury.  It is proposed that vinylidene chloride may undergo microsomal oxidation to produce oxiranes. These are highly reactive and covalently bind to nucleic acids producing mutations and possibly cancers. The monohalogenated alkenes are thought be more carcinogenic than their dihalogenated counterparts.