Naphthalene toxicity

Crookes, M.J., Howe, P.D. (1993) Environmental Hazard Assessment Halogenated naphthalenes. Toxic Substances Division, Directorate for Air, Climate and Toxic Substances, Department of the Environment, Build Research Establishment, Garston, Watford, WD2 7JR. 

Ahn, I. S., Ghiorse, W. C., Lion, L. W. and Shuler, M. L. (1998). Growth kinetics of Pseudomonas putida G7 on naphthalene and occurrence of naphthalene toxicity during nutrient deprivation, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 59, 587-594. 

Shopp GM, White KL Jr, Holsapple MP et al Naphthalene toxicity in CD-I mice general toxicology and immunotoxicology. Fundam Appl Toxicol 4 406-419, 1984... 

There is no specific antidote for naphthalene toxicity. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Gastric decontamination should be considered with emesis or lavage, followed by activated charcoal. Hemolysis may require urinary alkalinization and transfusion. Methemoglobinemia may be treated with methylene blue. Emesis is more useful for mothballs because of size. Lavage may be useful for ingestion of flakes. Information on activated charcoal is scant, but adsorption is thought to occur. Mothballs dissolve slowly gastric decontamination should be performed... 

Viravaidya K, Sin A, Shuler ML. Development of a microscale cell culture analog to probe naphthalene toxicity. Biotechnol Prog 2004 20 316-23. 

Ghanem,A. and Shuler, M.L. (2000b). Combining cell culture analogue reactor designs and PBPK models to probe mechanisms of naphthalene toxicity. Biotechnol. Prog. 16 334. 

Obtained by the catalytic hydrogenation of naphthalene. Owing to the presence of one aromatic ring it can be nitrated and sulphon-ated. It is non-toxic and is used as a solvent for fats, oils and resins. 

The toxicity of chloronaphthalenes requires that special attention and caution be used during their manufacture and use acne is the most common result of excessive skin exposure to them and the most frequendy affected areas are the face and neck (16). Liver damage has occurred in workers who have been exposed repeatedly to vapors, particulady to those of penta- and hexachloronaphthalene [1335-87-1] (17,18). Uses for the chlorinated naphthalenes include solvents, gauge and instmment duids, capacitor impregnants, components in electric insulating compounds, and electroplating stop-off compounds. 

Toxicology. The acute oral and dermal toxicity of naphthalene is low with LD q values for rats from 1780—2500 mg/kg orally (41) and greater than 2000 mg/kg dermally. The inhalation of naphthalene vapors may cause headache, nausea, confusion, and profuse perspiration, and if exposure is severe, vomiting, optic neuritis, and hematuria may occur (28). Chronic exposure studies conducted by the NTP ia mice for two years showed that naphthalene caused irritation to the nasal passages, but no other overt toxicity was noted. Rabbits that received 1—2 g/d of naphthalene either orally or hypodermically developed changes ia the lens of the eye after a few days, foUowed by definite opacity of the lens after several days (41). Rare cases of such corneal epithelium damage ia humans have been reported (28). Naphthalene can be irritating to the skin, and hypersensitivity does occur. 

In additional EPA studies, subchronic inhalation was evaluated ia the rat for 4 and 13 weeks, respectively, and no adverse effects other than nasal irritation were noted. In the above-mentioned NTP chronic toxicity study ia mice, no chronic toxic effects other than those resulting from bronchial irritation were noted. There was no treatment-related increase ia tumors ia male mice, but female mice had a slight increase in bronchial tumors. Neither species had an increase in cancer. Naphthalene showed no biological activity in other chemical carcinogen tests, indicating Htde cancer risk (44). No incidents of chronic effects have been reported as a result of industrial exposure to naphthalene (28,41). 

In earlier editions of the Eniyclopedia there have been articles covering the properties, manufacture, capacities, etc, of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated naphthalenes, benzene hexachloride, and chlorinated derivatives of cyclopentadiene. These materials are no longer in commercial use because of their toxicity. However, they stiU impact on the chemical industry because of residual environmental problems. Their toxicity and environmental impact are discussed (see Cm.OROCARBONSANDCm.OROHYDROCARBONS, TOXIC aromatics). 

Yourfacility receives toluene and naphthalene (both listed toxic chemicals) from an off-site location. You react the toluene with air to form benzoic acid and react the naphthalene with sulfuric acid, which forms phthalic acid and also produces sulfur dioxide fumes. Your facility processes toluene and naphthalene. Both are used as reactants to produce benzoic acid and phthalic acid, chemicals not on the section 313 list. 

Toxicity. Picric Acid is more toxic than the nitro derivatives of toluene, xylene or naphthalene. It is, however, much less toxic than nitro derivatives of benzene... 

Turning to the acute toxicity of PAH, terrestrial organisms will be dealt with before considering aquatic organisms, to which somewhat different considerations apply. The acute toxicity of PAHs to mammals is relatively low. Naphthalene, for example, has a mean oral LD50 of 2700 mg/kg to the rat. Similar values have been found with other PAHs. LC50 values of 150 mg/kg and 170-210 mg/kg have been reported, for phenanthrene and fluorene, respectively, in the earthworm. The NOEL level for survival and reproduction in the earthworm was estimated to be 180 mg/ kg dry soil for benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, and benzoMfluoranthene (Enviromnental Health Criteria 202). 

Schultz TW, Moulton MR Structure-toxicity relationships of selected naphthalene derivatives. 2. Principal components analysis. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 1985 34 1-9. 

For compounds that are sufficiently volatile such as benzene, toluene, or naphthalene, the substrate may be contained in a tube placed above the level of the medium (Claus and Walker 1964), or on the lid of a Petri dish (Sohngen 1913). For benzene and toluene this also obviates problems with toxicity since the organisms are exposed to only low concentrations of the substrate. 

Naphthalene is moderately toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. 

A colorimetric procedure is described for the determination of small amounts of Compound 118 (1,2,3,4,10,10-hexa-chloro - 1,4,4a,5,8,8a - hexahydro - 1,4,.5,8 - dimethano-naphthalene). Reaction with phenyl azide to form a di-hydrotriazole derivative and subsequent treatment with diazotized dinitroaniline in strongly acid medium produce an intense red color. Amounts of the insect toxicant of 10 to 40 micrograms in the final 10-ml. aliquot are readily determined with a spectrophotometer. Commonly used insect toxicants do not interfere. 

Few studies have been conducted to determine organic residues in spent foundry sand and leachates from disposal sites. It is reported that several organic compounds are present in the spent foundry sand but have concentrations below the regulated toxicity characteristic limits. Organic compounds of concern include benzoic acid, naphthalene, methylnaphthalenes, phenol, methylenebisphenol, diethylphenol, and 3-methylbutanoic acids.12 These compounds are thought to be derived from the decomposition of organic binders such as phenolic urethane, furan, and alkyd isocyanate. 

Sandrin, T.R., Chech, A.M., and Maier, R.M., A rhamnolipid biosurfactant reduces cadmium toxicity during naphthalene biodegradation, Appl Environ Microbiol, 66 (10), 4585-4588, 2000. 

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