Chemical Hygiene Plan - Queensborough Community College ...

• The routes of exposure are inhalation, ingestion, and absorption through the skin.
• Compounds with high molecular weights and low vapor pressures do not manifest
an inhalation hazard.
• Low molecular weight alkyl ethers are flammable or combustible liquids forming
explosive mixtures with air.
• The reactivity of glycol ethers is low.
• There is no report of any violent explosive reactions.
• The high molecular weight compounds are noncombustible.
Examples: Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether
Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether
2-Isopropoxyethanol
HALOETHERS
• Haloethers are ethers containing hydrogen atoms.
• Halogen substitutions make ether molecules less flammable or nonflammable.
• The explosion hazards of low aliphatic ethers due to peroxide formation are not
manifested by the haloethers. The halogens inhibit the ether oxidation to
peroxides.
• Inhalation of Fluoroethers can produce anesthesia similar to that of the lower
aliphatic ethers. Lower aliphatic chloro-and bromoethers can be injurious to the
lungs.
• Many of these are cancer causing to lungs in animals or humans.
• Aromatic chloroethers are toxic by inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption only
at high doses. These effects can be attributed to the chlorine content and to a
lesser extent on the aromaticity of the molecule.
Examples:
Bis(chloromethyl)ether
2-Chloroethyl vinyl ether
Pentachlorodiphenyloxide
HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONS
• The flammability of these compounds shows a wide variation.
• Bromo compounds are less flammable than their Chloro- counterparts, the
difference in flammability is not great though.
• An increase in the halosubstitutions in the molecule increases the flash point.
• The flammable hydrocarbons are stable compounds with low reactivity.
• These compounds, however, may react violently with alkali metals and their
alloys or with finely divided metals.
• Violent reactions may occur with powerful oxidizers, especially upon heating.
• Volatile halocarbons may rupture glass containers due to simple pressure build up
or to exothermic polymerization in a closed vessel.
• Halogenated hydrocarbons in general exhibit low acute toxicity.
• Inhalation toxicity is greater for gaseous or volatile liquid compounds.
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