Hazardous / Toxic Substances by Hazard Level*
Radioactive Natural Material |
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| No. | Name & Uses & Radioactivity | Exposure Sources | Health Effects (Symptoms) | Carcinogenity | Lethality | Exposure Test |
| 1 | Arsenic
(wood preserver, pesticides) | contaminated food and water; sawdust, burning smoke from wood treated with arsenic; copper or lead smelting, pesticides | At high levels, inorganic arsenic can cause death. Lower levels can cause lung irritation, nausea, vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, skin redness | high (skin, lungs, bladder, liver, kidney and prostate cancer) | yes | yes |
| 2 | Lead
(batteries, ammunition, pipes, X-rays shield) | contaminated food and water; water pipes, lead-based paints, stained glass | Lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and reproductive system. | low | yes | yes |
| 3 | Mercury
(chlorine gas and caustic soda production, thermometers, dental fillings, batteries) | fish or shellfish contaminated with methylmercury; vapors from spills, incinerators, mercury-containing fuels, dental work | Mercury, at high levels, may damage the brain, kidneys, and developing fetus. | low | no | yes |
| 4 | Vinyl Chloride
(PVC production) | mainly by breathing: plastics industries, hazardous waste sites, and landfills, contaminated wells | Breathing vinyl chloride for long periods of time can result in permanent liver damage, immune reactions, nerve damage, and liver cancer. | high (liver, brain, lung and blood cancer) | yes | limited |
| 5 | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
(electrical equipment before 1977: fluorescent lighting, coolants and lubricants in transformers) | old fluorescent lighting, television sets and refrigerators, that were made 30 or more years ago; contaminated food, fish (especially sportfish caught in contaminated lakes or rivers), meat, and dairy products; hazardous waste sites and drinking contaminated well water | acne-like skin conditions in adults and neurobehavioral and immunological changes in children | low (liver and biliary tract cancer) | no | yes |
| 6 | Benzene
(plastics, resins, drugs, dyes, pesticides) | tobacco smoke, exhaust from motor vehicles, and industrial emissions; vapors (or gases) from glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents; waste sites, gas stations, benzene industries | Breathing benzene can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and unconsciousness; long-term benzene exposure causes effects on the bone marrow and can cause anemia and leukemia. | high (leukemia) | yes | yes |
| 7 | Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
(roofing tar, dyes, plastics, pesticides) | by breathing air contaminated by wild fires or coal tar, or by eating foods that have been grilled. | some cancers | medium | yes | limited |
| 8 | Cadmium
(batteries, pigments, metal coatings, plastics) | The general population is exposed from breathing cigarette smoke or eating cadmium contaminated foods. | Cadmium damages the lungs, can cause kidney disease, and may irritate the digestive tract. | low | yes | yes |
| 9 | Chloroform
(In the past, as an inhaled anesthetic during surgery; today, to make other chemicals.) | contaminated air or water; swimming pools | dizziness, fatigue, headache, liver and kidneys damage, skin sores | low | no | limited |
| 10 | DDT, DDE, DDD
(in the past: pesticides, insecticides, drugs; banned in U.S in 1972 ) | eating contaminated meat, fish and poultry | High levels of DDT can affect the nervous system causing excitability, tremors and seizures. In women, DDE can cause a reduction in the duration of lactation and an increased chance of having a premature baby. | low | no | yes |
| 11 | Trichloroethylene (TCE)
(solvents, grease, paint & spot removers, adhesives) | using spot removers, typewriter correction fluid; contaminated drinking, swimming, and showering water | Drinking or breathing high levels of trichloroethylene may cause nervous system effects, liver and lung damage, abnormal heartbeat, coma, and possibly death. | medium | yes | limited |
| 12 | Chromium
(chrome plating, dyes, pigments, leather tanning, wood preserving) | ingesting contaminated food or drinking water or breathing contaminated workplace air | Chromium(VI) at high levels can damage the nose and can cause cancer. | high (lung cancer) | yes | limited |
| 13 | Phosphorus, White
(ammunition, fertilizers, food additives, cleansers) | breathing contaminated air, eating contaminated fish or game birds, drinking or swimming in contaminated water | burns and irritation, liver, kidney, heart, lung, or bone damage, and death. | low | yes | no |
| 14 | Chlordane
(In 1988, EPA banned all uses except termites control) | contaminated foods: root crops, meats, fish, shellfish; touching contaminated soil | High levels of chlordane can cause damage to the nervous system or liver. | low | yes | limited |
| 15 | Hexachlorobutadiene
(rubber compounds, hydraulic fluid, solvent) | hazardous waste sites; breathing air or drinking contaminated water near hazardous waste sites | unknown | low | no | limited |
| 16 | Aldrin / Dieldrin
(In 1987, EPA banned all uses) | natural contaminated foods: root crops, fish, or seafood | after years of exposure aldrin can affect the nervous system | low | no | yes |
| 17 | Benzidine
(no longer produced or used commerically in the U.S.) | uncontrolled hazardous waste | cancer of the urinary bladder | high (cancer of the urinary bladder) | yes | yes |
| 18 | Cyanide
(electroplating, metallurgy, organic chemicals production, photographic developing, plastics) | contaminated air, water, soil, foods, smoking, breathing smoke-filled air during fires | high levels: harms the brain and heart, coma and death; lower levels: breathing difficulties, heart pains, vomiting, blood changes, headaches, and enlargement of the thyroid gland | low | yes | limited |
| 19 | Toxaphene
(insecticide) | hazardous waste site, contaminated water, fish and shellfish | Breathing, eating, or drinking high levels of toxaphene could damage the lungs, nervous system, and kidneys, and can even cause death. | low | yes | yes |
| 20 | Tetrachloroethylene (PERC)
(dry cleaner) | clothes from dry cleaners, contaminated water | dizziness, headaches, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, difficulty in speaking and walking, unconsciousness, and death | low | yes | limited |
| 21 | Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)
(insecticide) | contaminated food and air in the workplace | high exposure: blood disorders, dizziness, headaches, seizures, and changes in the levels of sex hormones | low | yes | yes |
| 22 | Heptachlor
(insecticide) | contaminated foods and milk | high levels: damage to liver and nervous system | low | no | yes |
| 23 | 1,2-Dibromoethane
(pesticide, log treatment) | contaminated groundwater and air from hazardous waste site and industry | brain, skin and sperm in males; death if exposure is very high. | low | yes | limited |
| 24 | Disulfoton (pesticide) | contaminated water, food and air | High exposures can cause harmful effects on the nervous system | low | yes | limited |
| 25 | Acrolein
(aquatic life pesticide) | breathing air, cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust | burning of the nose and throat; lung damage | low | yes | limited |
| 26 | 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine
(color pigments) | breathing dust or skin contact where it is manufactured or used | sore throat, respiratory infections, stomach upset, headache, dizziness, burns, dermatitis | low | no | yes |
| 27 | Beryllium
(ceramics, alloying) | breathing air from beryllium industries | lung damage, chronic beryllium disease (CBD) | high (lung cancer) | yes | yes |
| 28 | Endrin (pesticides) | air, water, or soil near a hazardous waste site, contaminated foods | severe central nervous system injury, convulsions, headaches, dizziness, nervousness, confusion, nausea, vomiting | low | yes | yes |
| 29 | 1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane
(antiflame materials, pesticides) | contaminated water, food | At high levels, this chemical may cause damage to the male reproductive system. | low | no | yes |
| 30 | Pentachlorophenol
(pesticide, wood preservative) | wood treatment facilities, production of utility poles, railroad ties, wharf pilings; hazardous waste sites | high levels: increases in body temperature, liver effects, damage to the immune system, reproductive effects, developmental effects. | medium | yes | yes |
| 31 | Carbon Tetrachloride
(aerosols, pesticides) | contaminated air, water, soil | high amounts: can damage the liver, kidneys, and nervous system | low | yes | yes |
| 32 | Cobalt
(alloying, paints) | contaminated foods, air, water; cobalt industries | At low levels, it is part of vitamin B12, which is essential for good health. At high levels, it may harm the lungs and heart. | medium | yes | yes |
| 33 | Endosulfan (pesticide) | mostly from eating contaminated food | central nervous system | low | yes | yes |
| 34 | Nickel
(coins, jewelry, batteries) | mostly contaminated food; nickel industries | skin effects, workers who breathed very large amounts of nickel compounds developed chronic bronchitis and lung and nasal sinus cancers | yes | no | yes |
| 35 | Diazinon (pesticide) | manufacture and professional applications by contact with contaminated soils or contaminated runoff water or groundwater | very high levels: death; mild levels: headache, dizziness, weakness, feeling of anxiety, constriction of the pupils, blurred vision | low | yes | limited |
| 36 | Methoxychlor (pesticide) | mainly when workers, farmers, and gardeners use this pesticide | unknown | low | no | limited |
| 37 | Toluene
(paints, lacquers, adhesives) | automobile exhaust, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, adhesives | Inhaling high levels of toluene in a short time can cause dizziness, sleepiness, unconsciousness, and even death. | low | yes | yes |
| 38 | 2-Hexanone
(waste product) | most likely from living near or working in plants that make gas from coal, process oil shale, or produce wood pulp; hazardous waste sites | nervous system | no | no | yes |
| 39 | Zinc
(coatings, battteries, alloying) | mostly from eating food, drinking water, contaminated workplace air | Low levels of zinc are essential for good health. Large amounts can cause stomach cramps, anemia, and changes in cholesterol levels | low | no | yes |
| 40 | Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
(plastic flexibility additive) | from intravenous fluids delivered through plastic tubing, ingesting contaminated foods or water | At the levels found in the environment, DEHP is not expected to cause harmful health effects in humans | low | no | limited |
| 41 | Naphthalene
(PVC plastics) | mostly from breathing air contaminated from the burning of wood, tobacco; moth repellents | large amounts may damage blood cells | low | yes | yes |
| 42 | 1,1-Dichloroethene
(plastics industry) | mainly contaminated air at the workplace | Breathing high levels can affect the liver, kidney, and central nervous system | low | no | limited |
| 43 | Methylene Chloride
(solvents, paint stripper) | mostly from breathing contaminated air | large amounts can damage the central nervous system. Contact of eyes or skin can result in burns. | low | no | yes |
| 44 | 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) (explosive) | from eating, drinking, touching, or inhaling contaminated soil, water, food, or air | anemia, abnormal liver function, skin irritation, and cataracts | low | no | yes |
| 45 | 1,1-Dichloroethane (grease remover) | Breathing air containing it from industrial releases or hazardous waste sites | Breathing very high levels can cause heart disorders | low | yes | yes |
| 46 | Hydrazines
(rocket fuels) | contaminated air hydrazines industries; contaminated fish, water | nervous system effects, as well as liver and kidney damage | low | no | limited |
| 47 | Dinitrophenols
(dyes, wood preservatives) | mainly from breathing air, drinking water, or eating food that contains the chemicals | low levels: cataracts, serious skin rashes, decreases in white blood cells; high levels: increased heart and breathing rates, and even death. | low | yes | yes |
| 48 | Asbestos
(building, friction & heat-resistant materials) | breathing contaminated air in workplaces that make or use asbestos; air of buildings containing asbestos that are being torn down or renovated | Asbestos exposure can cause serious lung problems and cancer | high (lung cancer, mesothelioma) | yes | yes |
| 49 | Chlorine
(bleach, disinfectant) | facilities that use chlorine, water and swimming pool diinfectants made of chlorine (sodium hypochlorite ), household bleach. | Chlorine gas can cause irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Exposure to high levels can result in corrosive damage to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tissues, and could lead to pulmonary edema and even death in extreme cases. | low | yes | limited |
| 50 | Hexachlorobenzene
(by-product) | mainly from contaminated food | high level can cause liver disease | low | no | limited |
| 51 | Radium
(radiography, neutron source) | near industries that burn coal or other fuels, drinking water from wells | high levels results in an increased risk of bone, liver, and breast cancer; anemia, cataracts | yes | no | limited |
| 52 | 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
(solvent, cleaner, aerosol) | Usually occurs by breathing contaminated air. It is found in building materials, cleaning products, paints, and metal degreasing agents. | Inhaling high levels can cause dizzines, lightheadedness and even unconsciousness | low | no | limited |
| 53 | 2,4- & 2,6-Dinitrotoluene
(polyurethane foams, explosives, dyes) | Breathing contaminated air near manufacturing plants, contaminated water & food, hazardous waste sites | Exposure to high levels may affect the nervous system and the blood | low | no | limited |
| 54 | Ethion (insecticide) | mostly from skin contact or breathing contaminated air | high doses can cause nausea, blurring or dimness of vision, muscle tremors, and labored breathing | low | yes | limited |
| 55 | Uranium
(nuclear energy & weapons) | Everyone is exposed to low amounts of uranium through food, air, and water. | Exposure to high levels of uranium can cause kidney disease. It is not known to cause cancer, but can decay into other radioactive materials that may. | low | no | yes |
| 56 | Ethylbenzene
(make styrene, fuels, solvent) | an industry where ethylbenzene is used or made, factories or highways, contaminated water | Breathing very high levels can cause dizziness and throat and eye irritation. | low | no | limited |
| 57 | Thorium
(ceramics, alloying for aerospace industry) | everyone is exposed to small amounts of thorium in air, water, and food. Breathing air near facilities where uranium, phosphate, or tin ore is processed. Living in homes built on soil with high levels of thorium. | causes cancers of the lung, pancreas, and blood in workers exposed to high levels of it in the air. | high (lung, pancreas, and blood cancers) | yes | yes |
| 58 | Radon
(earthquake prediction, exploration for petroleum and uranium.) | very low levels in outdoor air, higher levels in indoor air in homes, schools, and office buildings, drinking and well water | Exposure to high levels results in an increased risk of lung cancer | high (lung cancer) | yes | limited |
| 59 | Barium
(drilling muds, paint, bricks, ceramics, glass, rubber) | Exposure to barium occurs mostly in the workplace or from drinking contaminated water. | low level: gastrointestinal disturbances, muscle weakness; high levels for a long time can damage the kidneys. | low | yes | limited |
| 60 | Manganese
(pesticides, fuel additive) | contaminated water, food and air near manganese industries | high levels: damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, and the developing fetus; (small amounts of manganese are needed for good health) | low | no | yes |
| 61 | Plutonium
239Pu (nuclear weapons)
238Pu (electrical power) | Very low levels of plutonium are found in air, drinking water and food. Higher levels are found at nuclear facilities, radioactive waste disposal sites. | unknown | low | no | yes |
| 62 | Strontium
(ceramics, glass products, pyrotechnics, paint pigments, fluorescent lights, medicines) | Exposure to stable or radioactive strontium occurs from ingesting contaminated food or drinking water or breathing contaminated air. | In children, high levels of stable strontium can impair bone growth. High levels of radioactive strontium can cause anemia or cancer. | high (leukemia) | yes | limited |
| 63 | Polonium - 210
(neutron source, nuclear weapons, radioisotope thermoelectric generators) | ingested, inhaled, radiation from nuclear facilities and laboratories | cancer, severe central nervous system damage, destruction of bone marrow, heart failure, gastrointestinal (GI) syndrome, death | high (lung and liver cancers, leukemia) | yes | yes |
Chemistry Quick Facts
