US EPA

EPA is conducting a peer review and public comment of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of tetrahydrofuran (THF) that when finalized will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database.

U.S. EPA. IRIS Toxicological Review of Tetrahydrofuran (THF) (External Review Draft). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, NCEA-S-1620, 2007.

THF is used as a solvent for polyvinyl chlorides, vinylidene chloride polymers, natural and synthetic resins (particularly vinyls), in topcoating solutions, polymer coatings, cellaphane, protective coatings, adhesives, magnetic strips and printing inks. It is also used for Grignard and metal hydride reactions. THF is used as an intermediate in chemical synthesis. For example, it is used in the preparation of chemicals including adipic acid, butadiene, acrylic acid, butylrolactone, succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol diacetate, motor fuels, vitamins, hormones, pharmaceuticals, synthetic perfumes, organometallic compounds, and insecticides. It is also used in the manufacture of polytetramethylene ether glycol, polyurethane elastomers, and elastic polymers. THF can be used in the fabrication of materials for food packaging, transport, and storage.

This is EPA's first assessment of noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of tetrahydrofuran. The IRIS program is preparing an assessment that will incorporate updated health effects information available for tetrahydrofuran and current risk assessment methods.

The IRIS assessment of tetrahydrofuran will consist of a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physiochemical and toxicokinetic properties of chemical, and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference values for the noncancer effects of tetrahydrofuran (RfD and RfC), and a cancer assessment. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary will undergo Agency review, Interagency review, and external scientific peer review. The final product will reflect the Agency opinion on the overall toxicity of tetrahydrofuran.

Date	Description
01-Aug 2007	EPA releases the first External Review Draft for public review and comment.

Following External Peer Review, the final assessment will be posted to the IRIS database.

Comments on the assessment may be submitted and reviewed using the e-Government Regulations.gov website. From the site, select Environmental Protection Agency and the key word EPA- HQ-ORD-2007-0599 (for the docket ID).

This download(s) is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.

• Toxicological Review of Tetrahydrofuran (External Review Draft) (PDF)  (159 pp, 1 MB, about PDF)
• Draft Charge to External Reviewers for the Toxicological Review of Tetrahydrofuran (THF) (PDF)  (4 pp, 24 KB, about PDF)
• Consolidated Comments from the External Peer Review (Final) (PDF)  (58 pp, 323 KB, about PDF)

If you have a disability and the format of any material on our web pages interferes with your ability to access the information, please reach out to us using the Contact us about IRIS form for assistance. To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of the accessibility problem, the web address of the requested material, your preferred format in which you want to receive the material (electronic format (ASCII, etc.), standard print, large print, etc.), and your contact information.

• FR NOTICE: AUGUST 20, 2007