Name ________________________ Section__________
Chem 226/ Fall 2005 Dr. Rusay
Organic Chemistry: Toxicity, Health & Safety
Working with organic chemicals can pose certain risks. Many compounds are flammable. Many produce
physiological effects. Sometimes these effects are not always known nor immediately obvious. Therefore, all
chemicals should be treated as being potentially hazardous. However, governments throughout the world require
that known hazard and safety information be published for public inspection and comment. In the U.S. and
Europe, manufacturers are required by law to provide this information in a document called an MSDS, a Material
Safety Data Sheet, which provides a compound's physical properties, health risks, chemical reactivity,
flammability, and procedures for storage, handling, and disposal.
In Chem 226, before undertaking any lab experimentation, you will become familiar with these documents and
other resources that provide Health & Safety information for organic molecules. Read: the Lab text, Lehman pp.
14-18. You should be particularly aware of the relevance of the numerical classifications for Health,
Flammability, Contact, and Reactivity.
This assignment has 2 parts: Part I is an individual assignment. Turn in this page (If not enough room attach a
second page.) with definitions for the following terms using references found on the World Wide Web, or the DVC
Library or the Merck Index that can be checked out of the DVC stockroom. You are highly encouraged to use the
Web links that are included in the Chem 226 Web Resource collection at:
http://chemconnections.llnl.gov/Organic/Chem226/226web-05.html
Part I: Definitions
1) Acute Toxicity
2) LD5 0
3) Exposure
4) PEL
5) Carcinogenicity
6) Chronic Toxicity
7) Teratogenicity
8) TLV-TWA
9) Active Ingredient (a.i.)
10) ADI
Names in Group ___________________________________
Section ________
Part II: Turn in one report for your group. Each member of your group is responsible
for all of the information in the segments. One of the group will read the report to the
class. Each of you is expected to be able to answer and explain any question from the
class or Dr. R. if asked to do so.
Segment I: Provide a short written summary of a topic assigned to your group by Dr. R.
from the following possibilities: 1. Entry and Fate of Chemicals in Humans, 2.
Bioaccumulation, 3. Carcinogenesis, 4. Dose Response Relationships, 5. Ecological Effects
and 6. Risk Assessment.. The written summary is to be no more than 1 page typed using a
word processor that is to be turned in to Dr. R.. The write-up can be in outline form.
Information on these topics can be found on the Web site: http://extoxnet.orst.edu/ under
Toxicology Information Briefs.
Segment 2: This exercise involves information that was actually developed for an academic
institution by the IT Corporation. It has been modified for this exercise. The data are air
sampling results for 4 common organic solvents: acetone, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride
and toluene, which are included in TABLE 1. You are to answer the following questions from
information found in the MSDS for each compound. The MSDS information can be located
by using various databases located on the Web. See:
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/index.html#Internet
(Use a grade of 95% purity or higher.)
1. What are OSHA鈥檚 PEL time weighted average exposure limits for the materials?
Acetone ___________ Ethyl acetate ___________
Methylene Chloride ___________ Toluene ___________
2. Write the sample number(s) in the IT report for those that are equal to or above the
allowable OSHA PEL limits.
Acetone ___________ Ethyl acetate ___________
Methylene Chloride ___________ Toluene ___________
Acetone:
3. What are the NFPA ratings for acetone?
Health ___ Flammability ___ Reactivity ___ Contact ____
4. What is the color storage code for acetone and what does it signify?
5. What should be done if acetone is splashed into your eyes?
6. What can be used to fight an acetone fire?
Ethyl acetate:
7. What are the NFPA ratings for ethyl acetate?
Health ___ Flammability ___ Reactivity ___ Contact ____
8. What can be used to fight an ethyl acetate fire?
9. List three materials that react violently with ethyl acetate and should be avoided.
10. What are the possible effects of chronic overexposure to ethyl acetate?
Methylene chloride: (dichloromethane)
11. What are the NFPA ratings for methylene chloride?
Health ___ Flammability ___ Reactivity ___ Contact ____
12. Is methylene chloride thought to cause cancer in humans? Briefly explain your answer.
13. How would you dispose of 100 mL of methylene chloride? What are the government
regulations governing disposal of this chemical?
14. Should a pregnant student consider methylene chloride exposure a high health risk?
Briefly explain your answer.
Toluene:
15. What are the NFPA ratings for methylene chloride?
Health ___ Flammability ___ Reactivity ___ Contact ____
16. How would you clean up a small spill of toluene?
17. What is the reported odor of toluene?
18. Is it OK to use water to put out a toluene fire? Why or why not?
19. What is methylene chloride's LD50-oral-rat? How much methylene chloride would the
heaviest member of your group need to ingest to be equivalent to this amount, i.e., what
would be the LD50-oral-human based on the heaviest group member? (Show your
calculation.)
20. Rank the 4 chemicals in what you think their order of increasing health & safety risk
would be in common laboratory use in Chem 226. Briefly cite the criteria used in your
appraisal.
________________ < ________________ < ________________ < _____________
Appraisal criteria:
21. See the four panel diamond safety placard, which is on the Physical Science classroom
building that houses PS 277. It is facing the parking lot (south). a) Draw the placard and
explain what each of the numbers, colors and notations mean. b) Do you think that the
placard is properly placed? If so, explain why, and if not, explain where you would put it and
why.
TABLE 1
SOLVENT VAPOR AIR SAMPLING RESULTS
PHYSICAL SCIENCES: Organic Laboratory
Wattsamatta U.
MARCH 9, 2005
Sample Location Time Time Flow Vol. Analyte Conc.
No. ON OFF Rate (L) (ppm)
(Lpm) TWA
acetone 1000.0
S-1 Directly 08:33 11:53 0.050 10.1 ethyl ND(<1.0)
across acetate
from hood
methylene 600.0
chloride
toluene ND(<0.47)
acetone ND(<1.5)
S-2 Work- 08:37 11:57 0.055 11.0 ethyl 515.0
station acetate
next to
hood methylene ND(<0.71)
chloride
toluene 8.5
acetone 685.0
S-3 S-1 site 11:54 15:14 0.050 10.1 ethyl 450.0
with open acetate
bottles
methylene ND(<0.77)
chloride
toluene 550.0
acetone 250.0
S-4 S-2 site 11:59 15:19 0.055 11.0 ethyl 450.0
with open acetate
bottles
methylene 155
chloride
toluene ND(<0.43)
All samples analyzed by gas chromatography
Lpm 鈥? Liters per minute
L 鈥? Liters
ppm 鈥? parts per million by volume
ND 鈥? none detected at detection limit stated
TWA 鈥? Time Weighted Average
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