(Also known as: 1-epichlorohydrin; glycerol epichlorohydrin; chloromethyleneoxirane; oxirane; ECH)
SUMMARY
Epichlorohydrin is an obsolete pesticide additive. It is highly soluble in water and highly volatile. Environmental fate data is scarce. It is very toxic to mammals and might be expected to bioaccumulate. Epichlorohydrin is also a neurotoxin and irritant. It is moderately toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Data alerts
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement.
Environmental fate
Ecotoxicity
Human health
Environmental fate Moderate alert: Drainflow: Moderately mobile
UK statutory standard for drinking water quality: 0.1 µg l⁻¹; EU Directive for drinking water quality: 0.1 µg l⁻¹; Non-statutory WHO drinking water guideline 0.0004 mg l⁻¹
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP evaluation documents / and other Defra (UK) documents (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
UK EA QS database 2018
-
Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)
0.1
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP evaluation documents / and other Defra (UK) documents (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
UK EA QS database 2018
-
Mammalian dose elimination route and rate
-
-
-
Health issues
Specific human health issues
Carcinogen
Genotoxic
Endocrine disruptor
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
;
E0 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 0 = No data
?Possibly, status not identified
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
XNo, known not to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
 
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
 
General human health issues
Poinsoning symptoms include fatigue, headache, respiratory problems Blood, lung and liver toxicant IARC group 2A carcinogen
Handling issues
Property
Value and interpretation
General
IMDG Transport Code is 6.1 Flammable and highly reactive Highly volatile and vapours are toxic Corrosive Risk of explosion Incompatible with strong acids, oxidising agents and many otehr chemicals
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242