Dimethylformamide (DMF)

Hazards

Acute (Short-Term) Health Effects

• The primary organ affected by acute exposure to dimethylformamide is the liver. Inhalation may also damage the kidneys, cause stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting, or irritate the nose and throat.
• Dermatitis and irritation of the eyes may result from acute contact with dimethylformamide.
• Exposure to concentrations of dimethylformamide at 500 parts per million (ppm) is immediately dangerous to life and health.

Chronic (Long-Term) Health Effects

• Dimethylformamide may be a carcinogen. Human studies have identified increased rates of testicular cancer in humans exposed to dimethylformamide. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies dimethylformamide as a Group 2B carcinogen; it is possibly carcinogenic to humans.
• Dimethylformamide may be a teratogen (reproductive hazard). Animal studies have documented teratogenic effects, including decreased fetal weight and increased spontaneous abortions. A human study of individuals exposed to multiple chemicals suggests that dimethylformamide may increase the rate of spontaneous abortions.
• Chronic exposure to dimethylformamide may also result in liver damage or digestive problems.

Exposure Routes

Worker Health

• Facilities using dimethylformamide must minimize worker exposure and take precautions to avoid fires.
• Use dimethylformamide in closed systems. If a closed production system is infeasible, facilities need to enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation. Where the potential for exposures to dimethylformamide exceed 10 ppm use a Mine Safety and Health Administration/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece.
• Take precautions to avoid dimethylformamide contact with skin and eyes. Workers need to wear solventresistant gloves and clothing. If dimethylformamide contacts skin, immediately wash the exposed area.
• Dimethylformamide is a combustible liquid it is flammable when exposed to heat or flame. Poisonous gases, including toxic fumes of nitrogen oxide, form during fires.

Public and Ecological Health

While the workplace is the most likely source of exposure to dimethylformamide, it has been found in wastewater and the ambient air.

• Dimethylformamide has been detected in wastewater effluent from sewage treatment and manufacturing plants.
• Dimethylformamide has been detected in the ambient air. For example, it was found at a concentration of 8 parts per billion in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Endnotes:
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), 1999, “Chemical Profile for N,N-Dimethylformamide (CAS Number: 68-12-2)” (New York: EDF see webpage:http:/www.scorecard.org/chemicalprofiles/html/dimethyl_formamide.html); Richard J. Lewis, Sr. (ed.), 1993, Hazardous Chemicals Desk Reference (third edition) (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold); New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, 1996, “Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet: Dimethylformamide” (Trenton, New Jersey see webpage: http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/rtkhsfs.htm); and U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, 1998, “N,N-Dimethylformamide” (Washington, D.C.: U.S. EPA see webpage: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/hlthef/diforma.html).

Dimethylformamide (DMF)

The primary suppliers of dimethylformamide are BASF, DuPont, and ICI. Only DuPont manufactures dimethylformamide in the U.S. American manufacturers use dimethylformamide as a solvent and consumed 32 million pounds of dimethylformamide in 1993. The primary end-users of dimethylformamide are manufacturers of pharmaceuticals (12 million pounds), electronic components (10 million pounds), butadiene (3 million pounds), and urethanes (3 million pounds). Miscellaneous uses include a resin clean-up solvent, reaction solvent, and processing solvent in the manufacture of polyimides, optical brightners, semipermeable membranes, and pesticides.

Massachusetts facilities began reporting dimethylformamide use in 1995, after the U.S. EPA added it to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) list of toxic chemicals.

Massachusetts facilities consumed over 4 million pounds of dimethylformamide in 1997 (see Table 1). Chemical distributors accounted for over 50% of total reported dimethylformamide use in Massachusetts.
Manufacturers of urethane-based textile coatings and laminates accounted for almost one-third of total Massachusetts dimethylformamide use (see Table 2).
Dimethylformamide use declined slightly, by 6%, between 1995 and 1997. The majority of dimethylformamide users including those manufacturing electronics, photoactive/photographic chemicals, membranes, printing plates, and textiles cut use slightly between 1995 and 1997.
Table 1 includes two sources of “output” data: MA TURA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data. The MA TURA database includes all non-product material created by a process line prior to release, on-site treatment, or transfer (“byproduct”) and the amount of toxic chemical incorporated into a product (“shipped in or as product”). The U.S. EPA, TRI database includes information on the waste materials generated by a facility after on-site treatment including: releases to air, land, and water (“environmental releases”) and transfers off-site for treatment or disposal (“off-site transfers”).

• Dimethylformamide outputs as measured by MA TURA mirrored the decline in use, declining by 5% between 1995 and 1997.
• TRI environmental releases and off-site transfers declined significantly, by 28% between 1995 and 1997.
• More than one-half of the reduction in on-site releases is due to one company, Polyclad Laminates, which reduced their releases using TUR techniques.

Endnotes:

The national chemical use data in this section are from Stanford Research
Institute (SRI) International, 1994, Chemical Economics Handbook,
Dimethylformamide North America (Palo Alto, California: SRI). The
Massachusetts chemical use data are from the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection (MA DEP), 1998, Massachusetts Toxics Use
Reduction Act Chemical Reporting Data (Boston: MA DEP).

Dimethylformamide (DMF)

Dimethylformamide is a powerful solvent with the ability to dissolve a variety of organic, inorganic and resin materials. It has been called the universal organic solvent and is especially effective when a low rate of evaporation is required. Owing to its unique qualities, the search for alternatives is not a simple task. Possible alternatives for its use in electronics manufacture, polyurethane coatings and general solvent applications are offered.

• In electronics applications, dimethylformamide (or mixtures containing dimethylformamide) have been used as solvents for epoxy resin catalysts used during the lamination of circuit boards. DMF was a replacement for ethylene glycol monomethyl ether when questions about its toxicity arose. Many companies are now using propylene glycol substitutes, which are thought to be less hazardous. Terpenes and ethyl lactate may also be substitutes for this use.
• DMF is used as a component of the carrier solvent for polyurethane coatings. Possible alternatives for this use include water-based and electron beam cured coatings. However, based on information from the Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance, one Massachusetts company that has investigated these alternatives for its particular use has found them to be lacking in quality. Additional application-specific research may be necessary for these alternatives to replace DMF.
• Solvents with different hazard and toxicity characteristics than DMF (e.g., dimethylacetamide or flammable solvents) may be alternatives for general solvent applications. For each use the technical, environmental, safety and cost performance of the alternative must be evaluated and compared to DMF.
• Where alternatives are not available, closed loop recovery may be an appropriate toxics use reduction technique for some DMF applications. In 1991, DuPont of Waynesboro, Virginia installed a wet scrubber and distillation unit to recover DMF used in the manufacture of synthetic fibers. This recovery process reduced their purchase of virgin solvent by 3 million pounds per year, and reduced air emissions by 70%.

Endnotes:

SRI, 1997 (see endnote #2 for full citation); Virginia Waste Reduction
Assistance Program, 1991, “Waste Reduction Success Story: Solvent Recovery –
Fiber Production” (Virginia Department Of Environmental Quality) Volume 1,
Number 2.

Dimethylformamide (DMF)

Both the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and EPA regulate dimethylformamide, a hazard to human and environmental health.

• The OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for an eight-hour workshift for dimethylformamide is 10 parts per million (ppm).

The U.S. EPA regulates dimethylformamide under the authority of three environmental statutes. Under the:

• Clean Air Act, dimethylformamide is a “hazardous air pollutant.”
• Comprehensive Environmental Responsibility, Compensation and Liability Act (popularly known as Superfund), DMF is a “hazardous substance.”
• Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program, all large quantity users of dimethylformamide must submit data on DMF releases and transfers.

Endnotes:
EDF, 1999, “Chemical Profile for N,N-Dimethylformamide”; and the New Jersey
Department of Health and Senior Service, 1996, “Hazardous Substance Fact
Sheet: Dimethylformamide” (see endnote #1 for full citations).

Dimethylformamide (DMF)

1 Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), 1999, “Chemical Profile for N,NDimethylformamide (CAS Number: 68-12-2)” (New York: EDF . see webpage: http:/www.scorecard.org/chemical profiles/html/dimethyl_formamide.html); Richard J. Lewis, Sr. (ed.), 1993, edition) (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold); New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, 1996, “Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet: Dimethylformamide” (Trenton, New Jersey . see webpage: http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/rtkhsfs.htm); and U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, 1998, “N,N-Dimethylformamide” (Washington, D.C.: U.S. EPA . see webpage: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/hlthef/diforma.html).

2 The national chemical use data in this section are from Stanford Research Institute (SRI) International, 1994, Hazardous Chemicals Desk Reference (thirdChemical Economics Handbook, Dimethylformamide . North America. (Palo Alto, California: SRI). The Massachusetts chemical use data are from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP), 1998, “Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act Chemical Reporting Data” (Boston: MA DEP).

3 SRI, 1997 (see endnote #2 for full citiation); Virginia Waste Reduction Assistance Program, 1991, .Waste Reduction Success Story: Solvent Recovery – Fiber Production (Virginia Department Of Environmental Quality) Volume 1, Number 2.

4 EDF, 1999, “Chemical Profile for N,N-Dimethylformamide”; and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Service, 1996, “Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet: Dimethylformamide” (see endnote #1 for full citations).

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