Teflon (PTFE: polytetrafluoroethylene)
CAS No. 9002-84-0
 
 

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Adverse Effects
Lung
Polymer Fume Fever
Thermal Decomposition Products
NTIS Reports

ACTIVITY: US EPA Pesticide List 3 Inert.

Teflon is used in pesticides as an Inert. According to a US EPA Final Rule of April 28, 2004:
Montmorillonite-type clay treated with polytetrafluoroethylene. Carrier. PTFE content not greater than 0.5% of clay (w/w). To be used in pesticide formulations applied to growing crops or to raw agricultural commodities after harvest.

Also, component used in plastic slow release tag.

Structure:

Adverse Effects:

Birds
Blood
Body Weight
Brain
Chemical Weapons
Cholinesterase activity
Liver
Urinary fluoride level

Due to length, the following are presented separately:

Lung

Polymer Fume Fever

Thermal Decomposition Products of Teflon

Note: Two of the thermal decomposition products of Teflon:
Perfluoroisobutene) is approximately ten times as toxic as phosgene. and is included in Schedule 2 of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
• Oxygen difluoride (many synonyms; it's primary name is Fluorine monoxide). In the NIOSH category of Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations - a list of 387 workplace chemicals - the two chemicals that share the rank of most dangerous chemicals for "respirator selection criteria" are Oxygen difluoride and Lithium hydride.

Regulatory Information
(only comprehensive for the US)
US EPA Registered:

Yes
List 3 Inert 

Other Information
Molecular Formulas: (C2-F4)mult-
(C2-F4)x-
 
Other Names:

PTFE 

-- see several other names in box at bottom

Of Special Interest
Reports from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
The Environmental Working Group is actively involved in the controversial issue of Teflon and perfluorinated chemicals. See http://www.ewg.org/issues/PFCs/index.php
Class Action Suit against DuPont for contaminating drinking water in Ohio and West Virginia with Ammonium Perfluorooctanoate, a chemical used to make Teflon prouducts at DuPont's Washington Works facility in Woods County, West Virginia.
Newspaper articles and Documents related to DuPont's Washington Works facility in Wood County, West Virginia, where perfluorinated chemicals to make Teflon are produced.
FAN's Index Page to PFOA and PFOS perfluorinated chemicals used to make Teflon.
Abstracts on PFOA and PFOS - perfluorinated chemicals used to make Teflon.

US EPA List of Inerts. This substance is on List 3.

Note: US EPA allows so-called "Inert" ingredients to be commonly mixed with the "active" pesticidal ingredient to create a formulated pesticide product. According to EPA, "The term `inert' is not intended to imply nontoxicity; the ingredient may or may not be chemically active." "Inert" ingredients include solvents, emulsifiers, spreaders, and other substances mixed into pesticide products to increase the effectiveness of the active ingredients, make the product easier to apply, or to allow several active ingredients to mix in one solution. Both US EPA and California Department of Pesticide Regulation require pesticide manufacturers to identify inert ingredients in their products but do not disclose this information to the general public because the pesticide industry considers product formulations trade secrets, protected by law and by the US EPA. The US EPA category of Inerts (as of September 2003):

List 1 - Of Toxicological Concern
List 2 - Potentially Toxic / High Priority for Testing
List 3 - Of Unknown Toxicity
List 4A - Generally Regarded as Safe
List 4B - EPA states it has Sufficient Information to Reasonably Conclude that the Current Use Pattern in Pesticide Products will not Adversely Affect Public Health or the Environment
List 4 (all)

See good report: Toxic Secrets": "Inert" Ingredients in Pesticides 1987-1997, published by Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides.


US Federal Register
Date Published Docket Identification Number Details
April 28, 2004 OPP-2003-0368 Pesticides; Tolerance Exemptions for Active and Inert Ingredients for Use in Antimicrobial Formulations (Food-Contact Surface Sanitizing Solutions). FINAL RULE.
-- Montmorillonite-type clay treated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; CAS Reg. No. 9002-84-0). Carrier. PTFE content not greater than 0.5% of clay (w/w). To be used in in pesticide formulations applied to growing crops or to raw agricultural commodities after harvest.

Synonyms:   From ChemIDplus at Toxnet
Name of Substance
Fluoro-gold
PTFE
Polytef [USAN]
Polytetrafluoroethylene
Teflon
Tetrafluoroethene homopolymer
Synonyms

AMIP 15M
Aflon
Algloflon
Algoflon SV
Algoflon, Fluon, Teflon, Tetran)
Alkathene rxdg33
BDH 29-801
Balfon 7000
Chromosorb T
DLX-6000
Dixon 164
Duroid 5870
EK 1108GY-A
Ethene, tetrafluoro-, homopolymer
Ethicon PtFe
Ethylene, tetrafluoro-, polymers
F 103
F 4K20
F 4MB
F 4Zh20
FBF 74D
FN 3
FT-4
Fluo-Kem
Fluon
Fluon CD 023
Fluon CD 042
Fluon CD 1
Fluon G163
Fluon G201
Fluon G4
Fluon GPI
Fluon L 169
Fluon L 169B
Fluon L 170
Fluon L 171
Fluoroflex
Gore-tex
Fluorolon 4
Fluoropak 80
Fluoroplast 4
Fluoroplast 4B
Fluoroplast 4D
Fluoroplast 4M
Fluoropore FP 120
Ftorlon 4
Ftorlon 4M
Ftorlon F-4MB
Ftoroplast 4
Ftoroplast 4B
Ftoroplast 4D
Ftoroplast 4K20
Ftoroplast 4M
Ftoroplast F 4MB
Ftoroplast F-4
Ftoroplast FBF 74D

Hostaflon TF 2053

G 163
HSDB 833
Halon G 183
Halon G 700
Halon G 80
Halon TFEG 180
Heydeflon
Hostaflon TF
Hostaflon TF 2026
L 169
Molykote 522
PTFE
PTFE GM3
Perfluoroethylene polymer
Polifen
Politef
Politefo [INN-Spanish]
Politefum [INN-Latin]
Poly(ethylene tetrafluoride)
Poly(tetrafluoroethylene)
Polyfene Polyflon
Polyflon D1
Polyflon EK 1108GY-A
Polyflon EK 4108GY
Polyflon F 103
Polyflon M12
Polyflon M12A
Polyflon M21
Polytef
Polytetrafluoroethene
Polytetrafluoroethylene resin
Proplast
Soreflon 5A
Soreflon 604
T 5B
T 8A
TE 30
TL 102
TL-R
TL-V
Tarflen
Teflon
Teflon 110
Teflon 30
Teflon 5
Teflon 6
Teflon 6C
Teflon K
Teflon T 30
Teflon T 6
Teflon T5
Teflon TFE
Tetrafluoroethene homopolymer
Tetrafluoroethene polymer
Tetrafluoroethylene homopolymer
Tetrafluoroethylene polymer
Tetrafluoroethylene polymers
Tetran 30
Tetran PtFe
Unon P
Valflon
Velflon
Zitex H 662-124
Zitex K 223-122
Systematic Name
Ethene, tetrafluoro-, homopolymer
Ethylene, tetrafluoro-, polymer
Fluorogold
Tetrafluoroethene homopolymer (9CI)

 
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