Fluorene Cas No. 86-73-7

Fluorene

Cas No. 86-73-7

Potential sources and exposure

Fluorene is a (PAH). The reader should refer to the general profile on PAHs

for exposure information.

Physical and chemical properties

Property

Value

Molecular weight

166.7g/mol

1.69 mg/L at 25 oC

Water solubility

7.1 10-4 mm Hg

Vapor pressure

Koc

7,300 mL/g

log Kow

4.2

6.4 10-5 atm-m3 /mole

Henry's Law Constant

Toxicity

Due to the lack of data on the toxicity of fluorene to humans, IARC (1983)

concluded that the available data in experimental animals was inadequate to

permit an evaluation of the carcinogenicity of fluorene. The USEPA's

Carcinogen Assessment Group has classified fluorene in Group D: Not

classifiable as human carcinogen (IRIS 1992).

The RfD for oral exposure to fluorene is 0.04 mg/kg-day, based on

subchronic exposure to flluorene in mice by oral gavage. The LOAEL is

250 mg/kg-day based on hematological effects; the NOAEL is 125 mg/kg-day.

Toxicokinetics

Like other PAH compounds, fluorene is oxidized by liver enzymes to form

water-soluble derivatives that can be excreted in urine. No information is

available regarding dermal or oral absorption coefficients.

Due to their high lipid solubility, PAHs are believed to be distributed

throughout the body. Relative to other tissues, they tend to localize in body fat

and fatty tissues. Elimination of PAHs is primarily via the hepatobiliary tract.

Ecological effects

The reader is requested to review the toxicity profile for the PAHs for

information regarding ecological effects.

D38

Appendix D Toxicological Profiles