Chloroethane (CED0000926)

Chloroethane belongs to the organochlorides, a class of organohalogen compounds within the organic compounds. This exogenous compound has the formula C2H5Cl and an average molecular weight of 64.51 g/mol. At room temperature, it exists as a gas. Chloroethane is used as a local anaesthetic, an inhalation anaesthetic, and an antipruritic drug. It is released from 53 recorded sources, including household cleaning and consumer products such as soap detergents, perfumes within detergents and soaps, bleaching agents, cigar cigarettes, and non electric simulated smoking devices. It is also found in food, food processing and cookware, specifically in food contact materials, food preservation, processing meats, the treatment of hops, and fermentation processes for beer. Other sources include electrical and electronic equipment, such as amplifiers, antennas, colour television systems, auxiliary devices, and adjustable resistors. Environmental presence is recorded in aquatic systems and sediments, including seawater, freshwater, surface water, and groundwater, as well as in drinking water, tap water, bottled water, and desalinated water. It is also found in wastewater, sanitation, and biosolids, including mine wastewater, industrial wastewater, and wastewater treatment effluent. Exposure routes include oral, inhalation, touch, and topical. In humans, chloroethane causes endocrine disruption by binding to and inhibiting the estrogen receptor beta (ESR2) and the estrogen receptor (ESR1). Regarding materials compatibility, the effect of chloroethane on polyurethane is inconclusive.