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Activity: Solvent, US EPA List 2 Inert (Halogenated organic)
Structure:

Adverse Effects:
Brain
CNS
Heart
Liver
Lung
Tremors
Environmental

.. A single case /was reported/ of sensorimotor neuropathy in a woman who had worked as a laundress with trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113) for several years. Weakness, pain, and paresthesias were most severe distally in the legs. Electrodiagnostic testing was consistent with axonal damage. Removal from exposure to trichlorotrifluoroethane resulted in gradual recovery. [O'Donoghue, J.L. (ed.). Neurotoxicity of Industrial and Commercial Chemicals. Volume II. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Inc., 1985. 110]
-- There is a significant accumulation of fluorocarbons in brain, liver and lung compared to blood levels, signifying a tissue distribution of fluorocarbons similar to that of chloroform. [Clayton, G.D., F.E. Clayton (eds.) Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Volumes 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F: Toxicology. 4th ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1993-1994. 1203]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for 1,1,2-TRICHLORO-1,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE CASRN: 76-13-1.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/trichlorotrifluorome.toxnet.htm

CNS (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

-- Human Toxicity Values: TCLO HUMAN INHALATION 4500 PPM; TOXIC EFFECT: CNS EFFECTS [Sax, N.I. Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials. 6th ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1984. 1458]
-- Animal Toxicity Studies: Non-Human Toxicity Excerpts: THE CHIEF EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO ... /TRICHLOROTRIFLUOROETHANE/ ARE DEPRESSION OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND IRRITATION OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT. SUCH EFFECTS OCCUR IN ANIMALS AT CONCENTRATIONS ABOVE 12000 PPM. MILD LIVER CHANGES HAVE BEEN NOTICED AT LEVELS SOMEWHAT BELOW THIS. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values for Substances in Workroom Air. Third Edition, 1971. Cincinnati, Ohio: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1971. (Plus supplements to 1979)267]
-- Psychomotor performance was evaluated using CFC-113 at concentrations of 0.15% (12 g/cu m), 0.25% (19 g/cu m), 0.35% (27 g/cu m) or 0.45% (35 g/cu m) for 165 min. There was no effect at the lowest concentration, but there was difficulty in mental concentration and some decrease in test scores beginning at 0.35% (27 g/cu m). [WHO; Environmental Health Criteria 113: Fully Halogenated Chlorofluorocarbons p.19 (1990)]
-- GUINEA PIGS EXPOSED ... FOR PERIODS OF 5 MINUTES TO 2 HOURS SHOWED INCREASING SIGNS OF IRRITATION AND /CNS DEPRESSION/; NASAL IRRITATION WAS APPARENT IN 5 MINUTES AT 25000 PPM, AND LOSS OF COORDINATION AT 50000 PPM AFTER 30 MINUTES; DEATHS OCCURRED AFTER 1 HOUR AT THIS LEVEL. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values for Substances in Workroom Air. Third Edition, 1971. Cincinnati, Ohio: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1971. (Plus supplements to 1979)267]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for 1,1,2-TRICHLORO-1,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE CASRN: 76-13-1.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/trichlorotrifluorome.toxnet.htm

-- Health Hazards - General. ...At high concentrations, Freon vapor may cause pulmonary edema and neurological problems such as central nervous system depression, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, tremors, seizures, confusion, in-coordination, loss of consciousness, and paralysis (Hazardtext, 2003B; Dupont, 1996A; OSHA, 1998; NIOSH, 2003C).
-- Predisposing Conditions. Individuals with pre-existing diseases of the central nervous or cardiovascular system may have increased susceptibility to the effects of Freons (Dupont, 1996A; OSHA, 1998; Dupont, 1996B; Dupont, 1996D). Persons exposed to epinephrine or other sympathomimetic amines, e.g., bronchodilators and nasal decongestants (e.g., Sudafed ¥), might be at increased risk for the cardiotoxic effects of Freons (Reprotext, 2003).
-- Special Concerns for Children. Children may inhale relatively larger doses of Freon because, relative to their body weight, they have a greater lung surface area and larger minute volume than adults. Since Freon has a high vapor density, children could also receive high doses due to their short stature and the higher levels of Freon vapor that may be present near the ground when Freon is spilled.
Ref: September 24, 2003 (Revised) - FREON [11, 12, 113]. Technical Support Document: Toxicology. Clandestine Drug Labs/ Methamphetamine. Volume 1, Number 11. California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Heart (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

-- Interactions: The interaction of Freon 113 and hypoxia on the heart conduction system was investigated by using the isolated perfused hearts from Wistar rats. The mean preexposure heart rate was 214.8 beats per minute and the mean preexposure atrioventricular conduction time (PQ interval was 42.9 milliseconds. Freon 113 alone elicited significant change to control levels in heart rate which was enhanced by the coadministration of hypoxia. An enhanced delayed PQ interval was noted following coadministration of Freon 113 and hypoxia, although significant PQ interval changes were noted with Freon 113 alone or with hypoxia alone. In the coadministration group, a 2:1 atrioventricular block was elicited in two of four hearts. It was suggested that in occupational deaths among Freon 113 workers, there may be complex interactions between hypoxia, enhanced cardiac sensitivity to circulating epinephrine, and direct alterations of cardiac muscle cell membrane potentials which result in arrhythmias following Freon 113 exposures. [Kawakami T et al; Toxicol Indust Health 6 (3/4): 493-8 (1990)]
-- .. CARDIOTOXIC EFFECTS, MANIFESTED IN ARRHYTHMIAS ... ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PULMONARY EXPOSURE TO FLUOROCARBONS, ESPECIALLY ... FLUOROCARBON 113 ... . [Hamilton, A., and H. L. Hardy. Industrial Toxicology. 3rd ed. Acton, Mass.: Publishing Sciences Group, Inc., 1974. 293]
-- .. Working with high conc of CFC-113 or other chlorofluorocarbons in confined spaces has the potential to cause death by cardiac arrhythmia, asphyxiation, or both. ... 4 reports of 12 fatalities resulting from occupational exposure to CFC-113 under conditions typical of situations in which CFC-113 can cause death. In most of the reports, the conc of CFC-113 was not specified. However, in one of the deaths from cardiac arrhythmia, the exposure was for 1 min & the CFC-113 concn measured 24 hr after exposure was 7600 ppm. In a death from asphyxiation, the CFC-113 conc was estimated to be 300,000 ppm, but the duration of exposure was not stated; however from the description of the incident, the exposure was relatively brief. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Inc. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 6th ed. Volumes I, II, III. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1991.1633]
-- IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS VARIABLE DEGREES OF TACHYCARDIA, MYOCARDIAL DEPRESSION, AND HYPOTENSION HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED. [Hamilton, A., and H. L. Hardy. Industrial Toxicology. 3rd ed. Acton, Mass.: Publishing Sciences Group, Inc., 1974. 293]
-- TRICHLOROTRIFLUOROETHANE CAUSED TACHYCARDIA, HYPOTENSION IN ANESTHETIZED RHESUS MONKEYS WHEN INHALED @ 2.5-5%. [AVIADO DM, SMITH DG; TOXICOL 3 (2): 241-52 (1975)]
-- TRICHLOROTRIFLUOROETHANE @ 2.5 & 5% DEPRESSED VENTRICULAR FUNCTION IN HEART-LUNG PREPN FROM DOG. [AVIADO DM, BELEJ M; TOXICOLOGY 3 (1): 78-86 (1975)]
-- Various animal studies (non-human primates and dogs) have indicated that acute exposure to high concn of CFC-113 (as low as 2,000 ppm or 15,400 mg/cu m in a 6 hr exposure period) followed by a large injected dose of epinephrine resulted in cardiac arrhythmias. [USEPA; Health Assessment Document for 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-Trifluoroethane p.2 (1983) EPA-600/58-82-002F]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for 1,1,2-TRICHLORO-1,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE CASRN: 76-13-1.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/trichlorotrifluorome.toxnet.htm

Liver (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Studies of 4 to 6-weeks duration, conducted at concn <25,000 ppm, reported variable findings. After 19 seven-hr exposures at 5000 ppm, some rats developed slight, diffuse, degenerative fatty infiltration; no such changes or other pathological findings were observed in three subsequent similar studies. No clinical, biochemical, or pathologic changes developed after twenty 3.5 hr daily exposures of rats & guinea pigs, or rats & dogs after 20 six-hr exposures at 5100 ppm or in rats after 30 seven-hr exposures at 2520 ppm; however, after inhaling 5000 ppm, 7 hr/day for 30 days, body-weight gain was depressed in the rat. After 14 days of continuous exposure of monkeys, dogs, mice, and rats at 2000 ppm, no adverse effects could be detected. The only morphologic & biochemical changes noted in male Wistar rats inhaling 1000 or 2000 ppm CFC-113, 6 hr/day, 5 days/week were proliferation of hepatic smooth endoplasmic reticulum & induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Inc. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 6th ed. Volumes I, II, III. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1991.1632]
-- Animal Toxicity Studies: Non-Human Toxicity Excerpts: THE CHIEF EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO ... /TRICHLOROTRIFLUOROETHANE/ ARE DEPRESSION OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND IRRITATION OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT. SUCH EFFECTS OCCUR IN ANIMALS AT CONCENTRATIONS ABOVE 12000 PPM. MILD LIVER CHANGES HAVE BEEN NOTICED AT LEVELS SOMEWHAT BELOW THIS. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values for Substances in Workroom Air. Third Edition, 1971. Cincinnati, Ohio: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1971. (Plus supplements to 1979)267]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for 1,1,2-TRICHLORO-1,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE CASRN: 76-13-1.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/trichlorotrifluorome.toxnet.htm

Lung (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

-- Animal Toxicity Studies: Non-Human Toxicity Excerpts: THE CHIEF EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO ... /TRICHLOROTRIFLUOROETHANE/ ARE DEPRESSION OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND IRRITATION OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT. SUCH EFFECTS OCCUR IN ANIMALS AT CONCENTRATIONS ABOVE 12000 PPM. MILD LIVER CHANGES HAVE BEEN NOTICED AT LEVELS SOMEWHAT BELOW THIS. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values for Substances in Workroom Air. Third Edition, 1971. Cincinnati, Ohio: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1971. (Plus supplements to 1979)267]
-- ... ACUTE INHALATION STUDIES OF RATS TO THE VAPOR FOR 6 HOURS SHOWED PULMONARY CHANGES AROUND LEVELS OF 30000 PPM, BUT NO MORTALITY UNTIL LEVELS AROUND 87000 PPM. [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values for Substances in Workroom Air. Third Edition, 1971. Cincinnati, Ohio: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1971. (Plus supplements to 1979)267]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for 1,1,2-TRICHLORO-1,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE CASRN: 76-13-1.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/trichlorotrifluorome.toxnet.htm

Tremors (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

HIGH VAPOR CONCN (EG, 20%) MAY CAUSE CONFUSION, PULMONARY IRRITATION, TREMORS & RARELY COMA ... BUT ... THESE EFFECTS WERE GENERALLY TRANSIENT & WITHOUT LATE SEQUELAE. /FLUOROCARBON REFRIGERANTS & PROPELLANTS/ [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. II-159]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for 1,1,2-TRICHLORO-1,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE CASRN: 76-13-1.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/trichlorotrifluorome.toxnet.htm