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�pectrum LaboratOTIe5 Chemical Fact Sheet-Cas#71432 httpJ/www speclab com/compound/c92527 Demand 1986 1,603 million gal, 1987 1,667 million gal, 1991 projected/ 1,790 ' Imillion gal (Includes imports, 155 million gal were imported in 1986) j Apparent Color_ CLEAR,COLORLESS LIQ ,RHOMBIC PRISMS j— Odor AROMATIC ODOR ' Boiling Igo 1 DEG C ��— `�--�� Melting Point— F5 S DEG C --Molecular Weight—� j78 11 -- �Density ��0 8787 AT 15 EG_CT4DEG CIF— IBENZENE HAS DISTINCT NE SRP AROMATIC ODOR HOWEVER ' Odor Threshold Concentration ;/WARNING PROPERTIES ARE INADEQUATE SINCE 100 PPM HAS jIRRITATION RATING OF 0&ODOR INTENSITY BETWEEN I &2 4 68 PPM Ith air 4 9 mg/cu in(characteristic odor),in water 2 0 mg/1 HBeez iene is n-ritant to skin --- - Benzene will enter the atmosphere primarily from fugitive emissions and exhaust connected with its use in gasoline Another important source is emissions associated ' with its production and use as an industrial intermediate In addition,there are discharges into water from industrial effluents and losses during spills If benzene is released to soil, it will be subject to rapid volatilization near the surface and that j !which does not evaporate will be highly to very highly mobile in the soil and may ' 1 !leach to groundwater It may be subject to biodegradation based on reported I biodegradation of 24%and 47%of the initial 20 ppm benzene in a base-rich para-brownish soil in 1 and 10 weeks,respectively It may be subject to ' (biodegradation in shallow,aerobic groundwaters,but probably not under anaerobic I i conditions If benzene is released to water,it will be subject to rapid volatilization, ;the half-life for evaporation in a wmd-wave tank with a moderate wind speed of 17 09 m/sec was 5 23 hrs,the estimated half-life for volatilization of benzene from a t model river one meter deep flowing 1 m/sec with a wind velocity of 3 m/sec is estimated to be 2 7 hrs at 20 deg C It will not be expected to significantly adsorb to sediment,bioconcentrate in aquatic organisms or hydrolyze It may be subject to j Environmental Impact ,biodegradation based on a reported biodegradation half-life of 16 days in an aerobic river die-away test In a marine ecosystem biodegradation occurred in 2 days after ! an acclimation period of 2 days and 2 weeks in the summer and spring,respectively, whereas no degradation occurred in winter According to one experiment,benzene Chas a half-life of 17 days due to photodegi adation which could contribute to , !benzene's removal in situations of cold water,poor nutrients,or other conditions j less conductive to microbial degradation If benzene is released to the atmosphere,it will exist predominantly in the vapor phase Gas-phase benzene will not be subject j to direct photolysis but it will react with photochemically produced hydroxyl I radicals with a half-life of 13 4 days calculated usmg an experimental rate constant 1 ,for the reaction The reaction time in polluted atmospheres which contain nitrogen loxides or sulfur dioxide is accelerated with the half-life being reported as 4.6 hours j (Products of photooxidation include phenol,nitrophenols,nitiobenzene,formic acid, I ,and peroxyacetyl nitrate Benzene is fairly soluble m water and is removed from the atmosphere in ram The primary routes of exposure are inhalation of contaminated s I air,especially in areas with high traffic,and in the vicinity of gasoline service I tstations and consumption of contaminated drinking water - _ TERRESTRL4L FATE If d to benzene is releasesoil it will be subject to rapid ' ,volatilization near the surface That which does not evaporate will be highly to very 1highly mobile in soil and may leach to groundwater The effective half-lives for I 'volatilization without water evaporation from soil to benzene uniformly distributed ' I oto l and 10 cm in soil were 7 2 and 38 4 days,respectively It may be subject to I I ;biodegradation based on reported biodegradation of 24%and 47%of the rnrtial 20 1ppm benzene in a based-rich para-brownish soil in 1 and 10 weeks, respectively It I amay be subject to biodegradation in shallow,aerobic groundwaters,but probably 4not under anaerobic conditions AQUATIC FATE If benzene is released to water, it E ;will be subject to rapid volatilization,the half-life for evaporation in a wind-wave 2 of 4 06/10/2003 4 11