A community exposure to 2-chloro-6-fluorophenol.

A rural town in western New York was the site of a release of a mixture of 2-chloro-6-fluorophenol (CFP), toluene and water due to a pressure build-up at a nearby chemical facility. The regional poison control center received calls from physician offices and individual patients describing symptoms felt related to this exposure. Symptoms included headache, dry throat, cough, chest discomfort, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea. Environmental sampling by the state health department confirmed soil and surface contamination; however, despite a noticeable odor during sampling, staff did not detect CFP in air samples. To our knowledge, although many individuals visited their primary care providers, none were hospitalized. This incident suggests that acute exposure to CFP is similar to other phenol exposures with relatively minor symptoms including headache, irritation of mucous membranes, and gastrointestinal symptoms.