Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Acenaphthene
Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value (PPRTV) assessments support the EPA mission to protect human health and the environment by identifying and characterizing the health hazards of chemicals of concern to the Superfund and RCRA Programs, and providing an important source of toxicity information and toxicity values for such chemicals. PPRTVs [provisional oral reference doses (p-RfDs), inhalation reference concentrations (p-RfCs), cancer risk values, and screening values] are derived after a review of the relevant scientific literature and using Agency methodologies, practices, and guidance for the development of toxicity values. Other EPA programs or external parties who choose of their own initiative to use PPRTV values are advised that Superfund resources will not be used to respond to challenges of these PPRTVs used in a context outside of the EPA Superfund Program.
Acenaphthene is one of the few PAHs, along with naphthalene, acenaphthylene, and anthracene, produced commercially in the United States. It is used as an intermediate for naphthalic acids, naphthalic anhydride (intermediate for pigments), and acenaphthylene (intermediate for resins). Acenaphthene is also used as an intermediate in the production of soaps and pharmaceuticals, as an insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide; in plastics manufacturing; and as an agent for inducing polyploidy (U.S. EPA, 1982; ATSDR, 1995). Exposure to PAHs is common throughout the environment, and generally occurs through incomplete fuel combustion (coal, gas, oil, wood, and other organic substances such as food and tobacco). Outside of manufacturing, exposure generally involves a mixture of PAHs instead of individual compounds. Exposure can occur by inhalation, oral (eating and drinking), placental, transfer via breast milk, and dermal routes, and the route and magnitude of exposure are dependent on a variety of factors such as geography, occupation, and culture.
Background
Acenaphthene (1,2- dihydroacenaphthylene), a white-to-light yellowish solid, is an ethylene-bridged, three-ring unsaturated hydrocarbon derived from naphthalene. Acenaphthene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), a compound having two or more single or fused aromatic rings. It is one of the simplest PAHs in structure and is generally grouped with up to 16 other PAHs (acenaphthylene, anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[e]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, chrysene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, fluoranthene, fluorene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, phenanthrene, and pyrene). These PAHs occur at the highest concentrations at National Priorities List (NPL) hazardous waste sites and are the PAHs to which the general public is most likely to be exposed (ATSDR, 1995).Acenaphthene is one of the few PAHs, along with naphthalene, acenaphthylene, and anthracene, produced commercially in the United States. It is used as an intermediate for naphthalic acids, naphthalic anhydride (intermediate for pigments), and acenaphthylene (intermediate for resins). Acenaphthene is also used as an intermediate in the production of soaps and pharmaceuticals, as an insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide; in plastics manufacturing; and as an agent for inducing polyploidy (U.S. EPA, 1982; ATSDR, 1995). Exposure to PAHs is common throughout the environment, and generally occurs through incomplete fuel combustion (coal, gas, oil, wood, and other organic substances such as food and tobacco). Outside of manufacturing, exposure generally involves a mixture of PAHs instead of individual compounds. Exposure can occur by inhalation, oral (eating and drinking), placental, transfer via breast milk, and dermal routes, and the route and magnitude of exposure are dependent on a variety of factors such as geography, occupation, and culture.
Impact/Purpose
Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) assessments are developed for use by the Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) to support informed decisions in the Superfund program and at hazardous waste sites when a values is not available in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database.
Citation
U.S. EPA. Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values for Acenaphthene. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/690/R-11/001F, 2011.
This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.