Adverse Effects
1,2-Difluoroethane (Freon 152)
CAS No. 624-72-6
 
 

Return to Index Page

ACTIVITY: List 2 Inert

Molecular Structure:

Adverse Effects:
Blood
Heart
Kidney

Note: Very little data available


Blood (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Abstract: The inhalation toxicity of a series of fluorinated ethanes which are metabolized to fluoroacetate (144490) were studied in the male CD-rat. When the rats were exposed by inhalation to 1,2-difluoroethane (624-72-6), 1-chloro-2-fluoroethane (762505), 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane (762492), or 1-chloro-1,2-difluoroethane (338647) for 4 hours, the lethal concentrations for each compound were less than 100 parts per million (ppm). Tests with 1,1-difluoroethane (75376) showed a 4 hour median lethal dose of over 400,000ppm in rats. Clinical signs of fluoroacetate toxicity were noted including lethargy, hunched posture, and convulsions. Concentrations of citrate increased in serum and heart tissue on exposure to 1,2-difluoroethane, 1-chloro-2-fluoroethane, 1-chloro-1,2-difluoroethane, and 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane. Fluoroacetate was present in the urine of rats exposed to each of the toxic compounds. Rats exposed to 1,2-difluoroethane showed fluorocitrate in the kidneys. Rats exposed to 1,2-difluoroethane showed a concentration related elevation of serum and heart citrate up to 1000 ppm of the compound. Serum citrate was up five fold and heart citrate 11 fold over control levels. The authors suggest that the metabolism of the toxic fluoroethane was initiated at the carbon/hydrogen bond, with metabolism to fluoroacetate via an aldehyde or an acyl fluoride. The authors conclude that 1-(di)halo-2-fluoroethanes are highly toxic to rats and should be viewed as a hazard to humans.
Ref: Fluoroacetate-Mediated Toxicity of Fluorinated Ethanes; by Keller DA, Roe DC, Lieder PH. Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, Vol. 30, No. 2, pages 213-219, 1996.

Abstract: The 18-year-old white male driver and 17-year-old white male passenger of an automobile were killed when their vehicle crossed the median of a 4-lane highway and collided with a minivan. A can of airbrush propellant was found in the automobile of the deceased. The only drug detected during initial toxicological analyses was 130 mg/L ethanol in the blood of the driver. When performing ethanol analysis by headspace gas chromatography, an unidentified peak was observed in the blood of both deceased. This peak was identified as difuoroethane (Freon 152), the propellant in the aerosol can found in the automobile. The concentrations of difluoroethane in the blood of the driver and passenger were 78 mg/L and 35 mg/L, respectively. Based on a literature search we believe that this is the first report of the quantitation of difluoroethane in biological samples.
Publication Types: • Case Reports
Ref: Two traffic fatalities related to the use of difluoroethane. Broussard LA, Brustowicz T, Pittman T, Atkins KD, Presley L. J Forensic Sci. 1997 Nov;42(6):1186-7.

Heart (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Abstract: The inhalation toxicity of a series of fluorinated ethanes which are metabolized to fluoroacetate (144490) were studied in the male CD-rat. When the rats were exposed by inhalation to 1,2-difluoroethane (624-72-6), 1-chloro-2-fluoroethane (762505), 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane (762492), or 1-chloro-1,2-difluoroethane (338647) for 4 hours, the lethal concentrations for each compound were less than 100 parts per million (ppm). Tests with 1,1-difluoroethane (75376) showed a 4 hour median lethal dose of over 400,000ppm in rats. Clinical signs of fluoroacetate toxicity were noted including lethargy, hunched posture, and convulsions. Concentrations of citrate increased in serum and heart tissue on exposure to 1,2-difluoroethane, 1-chloro-2-fluoroethane, 1-chloro-1,2-difluoroethane, and 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane. Fluoroacetate was present in the urine of rats exposed to each of the toxic compounds. Rats exposed to 1,2-difluoroethane showed fluorocitrate in the kidneys. Rats exposed to 1,2-difluoroethane showed a concentration related elevation of serum and heart citrate up to 1000ppm of the compound. Serum citrate was up five fold and heart citrate 11 fold over control levels. The authors suggest that the metabolism of the toxic fluoroethane was initiated at the carbon/hydrogen bond, with metabolism to fluoroacetate via an aldehyde or an acyl fluoride. The authors conclude that 1-(di)halo-2-fluoroethanes are highly toxic to rats and should be viewed as a hazard to humans.
Ref: Fluoroacetate-Mediated Toxicity of Fluorinated Ethanes; by Keller DA, Roe DC, Lieder PH. Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, Vol. 30, No. 2, pages 213-219, 1996.

Kidney (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Abstract: The inhalation toxicity of a series of fluorinated ethanes which are metabolized to fluoroacetate (144490) were studied in the male CD-rat. When the rats were exposed by inhalation to 1,2-difluoroethane (624-72-6), 1-chloro-2-fluoroethane (762505), 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane (762492), or 1-chloro-1,2-difluoroethane (338647) for 4 hours, the lethal concentrations for each compound were less than 100 parts per million (ppm). Tests with 1,1-difluoroethane (75376) showed a 4 hour median lethal dose of over 400,000ppm in rats. Clinical signs of fluoroacetate toxicity were noted including lethargy, hunched posture, and convulsions. Concentrations of citrate increased in serum and heart tissue on exposure to 1,2-difluoroethane, 1-chloro-2-fluoroethane, 1-chloro-1,2-difluoroethane, and 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane. Fluoroacetate was present in the urine of rats exposed to each of the toxic compounds. Rats exposed to 1,2-difluoroethane showed fluorocitrate in the kidneys. Rats exposed to 1,2-difluoroethane showed a concentration related elevation of serum and heart citrate up to 1000ppm of the compound. Serum citrate was up five fold and heart citrate 11 fold over control levels. The authors suggest that the metabolism of the toxic fluoroethane was initiated at the carbon/hydrogen bond, with metabolism to fluoroacetate via an aldehyde or an acyl fluoride. The authors conclude that 1-(di)halo-2-fluoroethanes are highly toxic to rats and should be viewed as a hazard to humans.
Ref: Fluoroacetate-Mediated Toxicity of Fluorinated Ethanes; by Keller DA, Roe DC, Lieder PH. Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, Vol. 30, No. 2, pages 213-219, 1996.


Toxicity.
Organism
Test Type Route Reported Dose (Normalized Dose) Effect Source
mouse
LC50 inhalation 977gm/m3/2H (977000 mg/kg) - National Technical Information Service. Vol. OTS0534607
rat
LCLo inhalation 75ppm/4H (75 mg/kg) - National Technical Information Service. Vol. OTS0534607
Ref: ChemIDplus for 1,2-Difluoroethane at Toxnet

Reports available from
The National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
 
Order from NTIS by: phone at 1-800-553-NTIS (U.S. customers); (703)605-6000 (other countries); fax at (703)605-6900; and email at orders@ntis.gov. NTIS is located at 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA, 22161, USA.

•• If you have copies of any of the reports listed below, please share them with FAN.

NTIS Order Number / Source Title Keywords / Abstract

NTIS/OTS0523799

EPA/OTS; Doc #40-7834109

2000. FLUOROCARBONS - AN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE SURVEY OF WORKERS EXPOSURE IN FOUR FACILITIES NIOSH
FLUOROALKENES
HEALTH EFFECTS
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

NTIS/OTS0520115

EPA/OTS; Doc #86-890000971

2000. TOXICITY OF SOME HALOGENATED COMPOUNDS
TRICHLOROFLUOROMETHANE (359-28-4)
HEALTH EFFECTS
ACUTE TOXICITY
MAMMALS
RATS
INHALATION
MICE
CATS
SUBCHRONIC TOXICITY
RABBITS
GUINEA PIGS
DOGS
HUMANS

NTIS/OTS0534607-1

EPA/OTS; Doc #89-920000139

1992. SUPPLEMENT: LETTER FROM DUPONT REPORTING TOXICOLOGICAL RESULTS FROM REPEATED LOW-LEVEL EXPOSURE TO 1,2-DIFLUOROETHANE IN MICE E I DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO
1,2-DIFLUOROETHANE
HEALTH EFFECTS
SUBCHRONIC TOXICITY
MAMMALS
MICE
INHALATION

NTIS/OTS0571557

EPA/OTS; Doc #88-920009904

1992. INITIAL SUBMISSION: INHALATION TOXICITY STUDIES OF VARIOUS FREON COMPOUNDS WITH COVER LETTER DATED 10-15-92

DUPONT CHEM
VARIOUS FREON COMPOUNDS
HEALTH EFFECTS
ACUTE TOXICITY
MAMMALS
RATS
INHALATION

CAS Registry Numbers:
75-63-8
353-59-3
624-72-6
1511-62-2

NTIS/OTS0571579

EPA/OTS; Doc #88-920009924

1992. INITIAL SUBMISSION: INHALATION TOXICITY STUDIES OF VARIOUS FREON COMPOUNDS WITH COVER LETTER DATED 10-15-92

DUPONT CHEM
VARIOUS FREON COMPOUNDS
HEALTH EFFECTS
ACUTE TOXICITY
MAMMALS
RATS
INHALATION

CAS Registry Numbers:
75-63-8
353-59-3
624-72-6
1511-62-2

NTIS/OTS0534607

EPA/OTS; Doc #88-920000157

1991. INITIAL SUBMISSION: LETTER SUBMITTING PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF INHALATION STUDIES IN RATS ON 1,2-DIFLUOROETHANE
E I DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO
1,2-DIFLUOROETHANE
HEALTH EFFECTS
ACUTE TOXICITY
MAMMALS
RATS
INHALATION

NTIS/OTS0520938

EPA/OTS; Doc #86-890000822

1989. INHALATION TOXICITY STUDIES OF VARIOUS FREON COMPOUNDS WITH ATTACHMENTS AND COVER SHEET DATED 06-12-89

Corporate Name: HASKELL LABORATORIES

Abstract:
Results of inhalation toxicity studies with rats on 6 freon compounds (containing 1,1-difluoroethane) are provided. Brom-12 at a concentration of 100,000 ppm for 7 minutes was lethal, while exposure to 19,000 ppm for 3 hours induced transient violent trembling but not lethality. Chlorbrom-12 was lethal at 500,000 ppm for 5 minutes, whereas at 62,000 ppm for 3 hours it was non- lethal but caused occasional transient nervous movements and slight lung injury. Brom-13 was lethal at 300,000 ppm for 40 minutes, while at 200,000 ppm for 2 hours no adverse effects were noted. Freon-152 was not lethal at a concentration of 200,000 ppm for 2 hours, but occasional trembling and incoordination were observed. Freon F-0316 and Freon F-C317 each produced no observable effects at a concentration of 10,000 ppm for at least 40 6-hour exposures. Summary data tables are provided.

Keywords:
E I DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO
1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE (75-37-6)
HEALTH EFFECTS
ACUTE TOXICITY
MAMMALS
RATS
INHALATION
SUBCHRONIC TOXICITY
CAS Registry Numbers:
75-37-6
75-71-8
75-72-9
624-72-6
62253-21-8

 

 
Fluoride Action Network | Pesticide Project | 315-379-9200 | pesticides@fluoridealert.org