CHEMICAL FACT SHEET
TRICHLOROETHYLENE (TCE)
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 TRICHLOROETHYLENE?

Trichloroethylene, also known as trichloroethene (TCE) is a colorless liquid with an odor similar to ether. It is man-made and does not occur naturally in the environment. TCE is used mainly as a solvent to remove oils and grease from metal parts. It also is found in very low levels in some household products like typewriter correction fluid, paint removers, adhesives, and spot removers.

HOW WAS TCE USED AT THE MMR?

TCE was used at the MMR as a solvent and degreaser for aircraft and vehicle maintenance activities.

WHAT HAPPENS TO TCE WHEN IT ENTERS THE ENVIRONMENT?

• TCE evaporates to air during grease removal operations.
• Rain or snow carries some of it to soil and water where it can filter through the ground and may reach drinking water supplies.
• From surface water and soil, it evaporates into air.
• It does not stick to soil particles.
• It breaks down in air in a few weeks, in surface water in days to weeks, more slowly in deep soil, and in groundwater only under limited conditions.
• Low levels of TCE have been found in fish.

HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO TCE?

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

• Drinking contaminated water.
• Breathing contaminated air.
• Touching contaminated water such as while swimming or bathing.

HOW MAY TCE AFFECT MY HEALTH?

If you are not exposed to TCE, it does not pose a risk to your health. If there is exposure to TCE, 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, 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 very high levels for short times has caused unconsciousness and death. Skin contact with high levels can cause rashes. People who breathe moderate levels may have headaches, dizziness, or impaired ability to perform.

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 TCE LIKELY TO CAUSE CANCER?

Although there is insufficient evidence that TCE causes cancer in humans, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed TCE as a probable human carcinogen based on evidence that it causes cancer in laboratory animals. Currently, both EPA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are reviewing this conclusion. Other studies have determined that TCE is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans due to flawed or mixed results in animal tests and lack of strong evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.

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

The EPA has established a safe drinking water limit for TCE of 5 parts per billion (ppb). The State of Massachusetts adopted this standard for drinking water. Massachusetts also has established a surface water quality standard for TCE of 81 ppb for the protection of people who consume fish from contaminated surface waters. Additionally, the State has established guidelines of 0.01 ppb TCE as an annual average concentration for ambient air levels of TCE.

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 Trichloroethylene. 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 (http://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.