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BENZYL CHLORIDE
CAS No: 100-44-7
I. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES (From HSDB (1994)
Molecular weight 126.58
Boiling point 179°C
Melting point
-43 to -48°C
Vapor pressure 1 mm Hg at 22°C
Air concentration conversion 1 ppm = 5.26 mg/m 3
II.
HEALTH ASSESSMENT VALUES
Unit Risk Factor: 4.9 E-5 (µg/m 3 ) -1
Slope Factor: 1.7 E-1 (mg/kg-day) -1
[Cancer potency factor derived by US EPA/IRIS (1989) from female rat C-cell thyroid tumor
incidence data (Lijinsky, 1986) using a linearized multistage procedure, extra risk; adopted by
RCHAS/CDHS (1991).]
III.
CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS
Human Studies
Several studies report on cancer mortality in workers occupationally exposed to benzyl chloride.
Sakabe et al. (1976) studied cancer incidences among 41 workers exposed to chemicals including
benzyl chloride over 18 years (ending in 1972) in a plant producing benzoyl chloride in Japan. Four
cases of cancer were reported among the workers: two fatal cases of lung cancer, one fatal maxillary
malignant lymphoma, and one squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (still surviving in 1973). The range
of employment duration among the workers with cancer was 6 to 14 years. Both cases of lung cancer
were in smokers. The expected number of lung cancer deaths among 41 Japanese males was 0.06. In
addition to smoking, another potential confounding factor is the reporting of exposure to other
compounds in the work environment including benzotrichloride, benzoyl chloride, toluene, chlorine gas,
hydrogen chloride, benzal chloride, and other chlorinated toluenes and polymers. Exposure levels were
not quantitated.
Sakabe and Fukuda (1977) also reported on cancer deaths among workers exposed to chemicals
including benzyl chloride in another plant involved with the production of benzoyl peroxide and benzoyl
chloride between 1952 and 1963. Two lung cancer deaths (one a smoker) were reported. Expected
number of deaths and exposure levels were not reported, and workers were also exposed to other
chemicals as listed in the description of the study by Sakabe et al. (1976).
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