CHEMICAL FACT SHEET
TETRACHLOROETHYLENE (PCE)
July 2001

This fact sheet is part of a series of chemical fact sheets to address community concerns on public health and environmental issues associated with the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR). Terms identified in bold are defined in the glossary.

WHAT IS TETRACHLOROETHYLENE?

Tetrachloroethylene, or perchloroethylene (PCE), is a man-made liquid solvent widely used in dry cleaning and for removing grease from metal surfaces. In homes, it may be found in suede protectors, paint removers, furniture strippers, water repellents, spot removers, and adhesives. PCE evaporates easily to the atmosphere producing a sweet, ether-like odor.

HOW WAS PCE USED AT THE MMR?

PCE was used at the MMR as a solvent and degreaser for aircraft and vehicle maintenance activities. It also was used to clean electronic components for avionics, radar, and communication systems to support operations at the base.

WHAT HAPPENS TO PCE WHEN IT ENTERS THE ENVIRONMENT?

• PCE evaporates during use or from waste sites.
• Rain or snow carries some of it to soil and water where it can filter through the ground and may reach drinking water supplies.
• It can stay in groundwater for many months without breaking down.
• It does not appear to build up in fish, clams, and oysters.

HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO PCE?

You can be exposed to PCE only when you come in contact with it by drinking, breathing, eating, or touching it. Examples include:

• Drinking contaminated water.
• Breathing contaminated air.
• Breathing vapors from consumer products like water repellents and spot removers.
• Touching contaminated water such as while swimming or bathing.
• For infants, drinking breast milk from mothers exposed to the chemical.

HOW MAY PCE AFFECT MY HEALTH?

If you are not exposed to PCE, it does not pose a risk to your health. If there is exposure to PCE, several factors will determine whether harmful effects may occur and what the type and severity of those health effects may be. These factors include:

• The dose (how much)
• The duration (how long)
• The route or pathway by which you are exposed (breathing, eating, drinking, or skin contact)
• Other chemicals to which you are exposed
• Various other personal factors (e.g., age, sex, family traits, lifestyle, personal health)

In scientific experiments conducted on laboratory animals using high doses, results included damage to the liver, kidneys, and the central nervous system of rats and mice.

Similar health effects are seen in people. Results indicate that exposure of humans to high levels of PCE in the air may cause dizziness, headaches, sleepiness, nausea, difficulty in speaking and walking, and possibly unconsciousness and death. Skin irritation may result from repeated or extended contact with the chemical. Long-term exposure to high levels of PCE has the potential of causing liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage. Not much is known about the effects of PCE exposure on reproduction or development.

It is important to note that the levels of contaminants found at MMR are significantly lower than the high doses used in laboratory studies or the examples described above.

IS PCE LIKELY TO CAUSE CANCER?

Tests in laboratory animals reveal that PCE may cause liver and kidney cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is presently reviewing the data regarding the potential cancer-causing effects of PCE. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that PCE may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen.

WHAT FEDERAL AND STATE STANDARDS EXIST TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT?

The EPA has established a safe drinking water limit for PCE of 5 parts per billion (ppb). The State of Massachusetts adopted this standard for drinking water. Massachusetts has established a surface water quality standard for PCE of 8.9 ppb for the protection of people who consume fish from contaminated surface waters. Additionally, the State has established guidelines of 0.003 ppb PCE as an annual average concentration for ambient air levels of PCE.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CHEMICAL?

For additional technical information and a review of current research, contact EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791, the Massachusetts Office of Research and Standards at (617) 556-1160, or see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Toxicological Profile for Tetrachloroethylene. Information about obtaining this profile is available by calling ATSDR's 24-hour Toxicology Information Service at (404) 639-6300 or by leaving a message on (888) 422-8737. To order toxicological profiles contact the National Technical Information Service at (800) 553-6847 or (703) 605-6000. There may be a fee for the profile.

GLOSSARY

parts per billion: a measure of concentration. One ppb is comparable to one kernel of corn in a filled, 45-foot silo, 16 feet in diameter..

POINTS OF CONTACT

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional information about the cleanup program at the MMR is available on the program's website (www.mmr.org). The website includes a variety of information, including technical documents, meetings agendas and summaries, maps, glossaries, weekly reports, and news releases. It also includes links to other websites, including those of EPA Region 1, DEP, DPH, and ATSDR.

In addition, five local libraries house information repositories for the cleanup program. The libraries are:

The Administrative Record, which is a public record of all documents used in decision-making, is available for review at the Falmouth Public Library or by contacting the IRP Office at (508) 968-4678.

This fact sheet was developed through a collaborative effort of the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Joint Program Office (JPO), and local officials.