Potential halogenated industrial carcinogenic and mutagenic chemicals. I. Halogenated unsaturated hydrocarbons.

The halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons represent one of the most important categories of industrial chemicals from a consideration of use categories, production volume, environmental and toxicological considerations, and hence most importantly, potential population risk. The major unsaturated hydrocarbons reviewed, primarily in terms of their synthesis, utility, stability, distribution and levels of exposure as well as their reactivity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and metabolism, include: vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, chloroprene, trans-1,4-dichlorobutene, hexachlorobutadiene and allyl chloride.