Chlorobenzenea

I. General Information
Chlorobenzene, also known as monochlorobenzene, benzene chloride, chlo-
robenzol, and phenyl chloride, is used in the production of chloronitrobenzene
and diphenyl ether; in rubber intermediates; as a solvent in adhesives, paints,
waxes, and polishes; and as an inert solvent. Its structure and properties are
shown in Table 1.
Chlorobenzene has no natural sources. Production in 1984 was 256 million lb
(116 million kg) (USITC 1985). The majority of releases result from its use as a
solvent. Due to the volatility of chlorobenzene, most environmental releases
occur to air. It is released to water and the ground during the disposal of waste
solvent. Because it is used in metal cleaning operations, releases occur in indus-
trial areas nationwide in the U.S. (USEPA 1987).
Released to the atmosphere chlorobenzene is expected to degrade slowly by
free radical oxidation. Released to surface water it is believed to partition rapidly
to air, where it is expected to degrade. Chlorobenzene was shown to be relatively
resistant to biodegradation. Based on limited studies, the USEPA estimated the
half-life in soil to be several months. When released to the ground, it is believed
to bind to soil and to migrate slowly to ground water. Chlorobenzene bioaccumu-
lates in fish, aquatic invertebrates, and algae. In higher organisms, chloroben-
zene was shown to be metabolized to other compounds (USEPA 1979).
Chlorobenzene rarely occurs as an environmental contaminant. Federal sur-
veys of drinking waters derived from surface water have not reported its
presence. A few ground-water systems have been found with levels in the low-
ppb range. The occurrence in food has not been identified. It has been identified
as a contaminant of air at extremely low levels (less than 1 ppb) in urban and
suburban areas. Despite the low levels of chlorobenzene in air, inhalation is prob-
ably the major route of environmental exposure (USEPA 1983).

II. Pharmacokinetics
A. Absorption
No data are available that demonstrate the percentage of dose absorbed after oral
exposure. Assumptions regarding absorption are based on known information

aBased on USEPA (1985a), except Section I, which is based on USEPA (1987).

© 1988 by Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol. 106.
38 Chlorobenzene

Table 1. General information and properties of chlorobenzeneo

Property Value

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number 108-90-7

Chemical formula C 6H sCI
Molecular weight 112.6
Physical state Colorless, neutral liquid
Boiling point 132°C
Melting point -45.6°C
Density 1.1
Vapor pressure 11.8 mm Hg at 25°C
Specific gravity 1.106 at 25°C
Water solubility 500 mg/L at 20°C
Oil/water coefficient 918 b
Log octanol/water partition coefficient 2.84 c
Odorltaste threshold (water) 0.4 to 1.5 ~g/Ld; 10 to 20 ~g/U
Odor threshold water 50 ~g/I.f
Odor threshold (medium unknown) 0.21 mg/U
Taste threshold
Air concentration conversion factor 4.7 mg/m3 = 1 ppm
°Irish (1963).
b Sato and Nakajima (1979).
CLeo et al. (1971).
dTarkhova (1965).
e Varshavskaya (1968).
f Amoore and Hautala (1983).
gLittle (1968).

about the high lipid solubility of chlorobenzene and the absorption characteris-
tics of benzene and the smaller chlorinated ethanes and ethylenes, which are also
highly lipid soluble. For the purpose of the development of Health Advisories
(HAs), 100% of any orally administered dose is presumed to be absorbed, and
50% of a dose inhaled over a period of one to several hr is presumed to be
absorbed and retained (Astrand 1975, Dallas et al. 1983).

B. Distribution

Sullivan et al. (1983) studied the distribution of [I4C]chlorobenzene in male

Sprague-Dawley rats after single or multiple 8-hr inhalation exposures at 100,