Government regulations and standards have been developed for tetrachloroethylene. These are designed to protect the public and workers from potential adverse health effects.

OSHA has established a PEL in workplace air of 100 ppm measured as an 8-hour TWA ( Table 1).

NIOSH recommends that tetrachloroethylene be treated in the workplace as a potential human carcinogen and that occupational exposure be reduced to the lowest feasible level (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 1997).

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)(American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. 2001) recommends a threshold limit value (TLV) of 25 ppm and an 8-hour TLV/TWA of 100 ppm. ACGIH has also established the following biologic exposure indices (BEIs)

• 10 ppm tetrachloroethylene in end-exhaled air, sample collected before the last shift of the workweek,
• 1 mg/L tetrachloroethylene in blood, specimen collected before the last shift of the workweek, and
• 7 mg/L trichloroacetic acid in urine, specimen collected at end of the workweek

A BEI is a recommended “warning level,” not an absolute threshold. It may be underprotective or overprotective, depending on individual susceptibility, body habits, level of activity, and concomitant exposures.

Air

EPA intends to propose air emission standards for tetrachloroethylene, but such standards have not yet been promulgated.

Water

The current EPA drinking water regulation for tetrachloroethylene is 5 ppb.

Progress Check