Use
1,1-Dimethylhydrazine is a colorless, flammable, hygroscopic liquid that gradually turns
yellow on contact with air and is miscible with water. 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine is primar-
ily used as a high-energy fuel in military applications, as a rocket propellant and fuel for
thrusters, and small electrical power-generating units. 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine is also used
in the manufacture of a plant growth regulator, in chemical synthesis, in photographic
chemicals, as a stabilizer for fuel additives, and as an absorbent for acid gases. Exposure
to 1,1-dimethylhydrazine usually occurs at the workplace during use and handling of the
chemical substance.
No information is available on the carcinogenic effects of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine in humans.
Carcinogenic effects were observed in mice and rats exposed to 1,1-dimethylhydrazine
by inhalation, but the carcinogenicity could not be defi nitively attributed to
1,1-dimethylhydrazine because of the presence of contaminants in the study. The US EPA
has not classifi ed 1,1-dimethylhydrazine for potential carcinogenicity, while the IARC has
classifi ed 1,1-dimethylhydrazine as Group 2B, meaning a possible human carcinogen.