| Chemical Abstract Number (CAS #) |
100027
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| Synonyms | 4-Nitrophenol |
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p-Nitrophenol | Phenol, 4-nitro- |
| Analytical Methods |
EPA Method 515.1 |
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EPA Method 555 |
EPA Method 604 |
EPA Method 625 |
EPA Method 8040A |
EPA Method 8151 |
EPA Method 8250A |
| Molecular Formula | C6H5NO3 |
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| Use | AS INDICATOR IN 0.1% ALCOHOL SOLN; PH RANGE: 5.6 COLORLESS, 7.6
YELLOW
FUNGICIDE
CHEM INTERMEDIATE FOR THE INSECTICIDES METHYL PARATHION & ETHYL
PARATHION, AZO & SULFUR DYES, N-ACETYL-P-AMINOPHENOL; CHEM
INTERMEDIATE FOR LEATHER PRESERVATIVES
AS SUBSTRATE FOR ANALYSIS OF UDP-GLUCURONYL TRANSFERASE
BACTERICIDE
Leather treatment agent.
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| Consumption Patterns | 87% AS A CHEM INTERMED FOR METHYL & ETHYL PARATHION; 13% IN
OTHER APPLICATIONS (EST) (1971)
/IN MANUFACTURE OF ETHYL AND METHYL PARATHIONS, 84%;
N-ACETYL-P-AMINOPHENOL (APAP), 8%; MISC, INCL DYESTUFFS AND LEATHER
TREATMENT, 8%
CHEMICAL PROFILE: p-Nitrophenol. Acetaminophen (n-acetyl-p-aminophenol or APAP),
55%; exports, 35%; leather tanning, dyestuffs oxydianiline and miscellaneous uses, 10%.
CHEMICAL PROFILE: p-Nitrophenol. Demand: 1986: 22 million lb; 1987: 23 million lb; 1991
/projected/: 25 million lb (Includes exports; imports are negligible).
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| Apparent Color | COLORLESS TO SLIGHTLY YELLOW CRYSTALS ; YELLOW MONOCLINIC
PRISMS FROM TOLUENE ; YELLOW TO BROWN SOLID
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| Odor | Odorless
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| Boiling Point | 279 DEG C (DECOMPOSES)
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| Melting Point | 113-114 DEG C
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| Molecular Weight | 139.11
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| Density | 1.270 @ 20 DEG C/D
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| Odor Threshold Concentration | 58.3 MG/L
Detection in air: 2.3 mg/cu m
Detection in water: 2.5 mg/l
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| Sensitivity Data | Dust: irritating to eyes, nose & throat; solid: irritating to skin & eyes
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| Environmental Impact | 4-Nitrophenol will be released to the environment in wastewater and as fugitive emissions
during its production and use as a chemical intermediate primarily in the manufacture of
parathion, methyl parathion and N-acetyl-p-aminophenol. It is also found in suspended particulate
matter in the atmosphere, originating mostly from secondary photochemical reactions in the air
and partly from emissions of vehicular exhaust gas. When released on land, it will biodegrade with
a half-life of approximately a day. If released in water, it will also primarily biodegrade with a
half-life of approximately 1-8 days. Half-lives will be markedly shortened when the
microorganisms are well acclimated. Half-lives will be much longer in marine waters. Photolysis
may also be important in clear surface waters (half-lives 2-14 days); being somewhat faster when
the water is acidic or contains nitrate or nitrite ions. Adsorption to sediment should be minor
under most circumstances and little or no bioconcentration should take place. If 4-nitrophenol is
released into the atmosphere, it will be predominately adsorbed to particulate matter or be in
aerosols. It will be subject to gravitational settling and photolyze with a half-life that may range
from hours to a week or more. Human exposure will be primarily from ambient air via inhalation.
Agricultural works using parathion may be exposed to 4-nitrophenol dermally or via inhalation
since it is both a degradation product and impurity in that pesticide.
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| Environmental Fate | TERRESTRIAL FATE: If released on soil, 4-nitrophenol would not be expected to
adsorb appreciably to soil except for some clays to which it will strongly bind. It will rapidly
biodegrade, having a half-life of approximately 1 day in agricultural topsoil and 10 days in flooded
soil. Should 4-nitrophenol leach into the subsoil, its biodegradation half-life is much longer, 40
days in one report under aerobic conditions and longer still under anaerobic conditions. However,
no reports could be found concerning its detection in groundwater. When radiolabeled
4-nitrophenol was incubated in a laboratory terrestrial ecosystem, the label was found largely in
the top 5 cm of soil after 26 days . After 30 days in another terrestrial ecosystem, 79.1% of the
(14)C resided in soil and plants and 19.1% had been transformed to (14)CO2(2,SRC).
AQUATIC FATE: If released into water one would not expect 4-nitrophenol to sorb appreciably
to sediment because of its low Koc, unless the sediment contains appreciable amounts of
montmorillonite or other clay to which 4-nitrophenol forms chemical bonds. Both in the water and
sediment, biodegradation will be the predominant loss mechanism. Half-lives which have been
reported are 1-8 days. Half-lives decrease markedly when the microbial populations are
acclimated and the 4-nitrophenol may then completely degrade in under a day. Degradation is
much slower in marine systems than in freshwater ones with half-lives of 1-3 yr being reported in
water from sites in Pensacola Bay, FL. The presence of sediment in the water markedly increased
the degradation rate as the half-lives in eco-cores from the same sites ranged 13-20 days. No
degradation rates have been reported for freshwater sediment. In estuarine sediment suspensions,
7 and 19% mineralization occurred in 10 days under anaerobic and aerobic conditions,
respectively. The mean half-life predicted for 4-nitrophenol by a non-steady-state equilibrium
model is 7.7 days . The model predicts that 94.6% of the 4-nitrophenol will partition into the
water and 4.44% into the sediment . Photolysis may also be important in clear surface waters
(half-lives 2-14 days); being somewhat faster when the water is acidic or contains nitrate or nitrite
ions.
ATMOSPHERIC FATE: 4-Nitrophenol released to the atmosphere will most likely be in
suspended particulate matter or aerosols. It will be subject to gravitational settling and photolysis.
The photolysis half-life will depend on the amount of sunlight, pH and dissolved nitrate in the
aerosol water and the nature of the particulate matter on which the 4-nitrophenol is adsorbed.
Half-lives may range from hours to a week or more.
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| Drinking Water Impact | SURFACE WATER: Ambient water concentrations reported in the USEPA's STORET
data base, 1980-82 (807 samples) 0.0% pos . Not detected in the Lake Erie or Lake Michigan
basin .
EFFL: Effluent concentrations reported in the USEPA's STORET data base, 1980-1982 (1322
samples) 3.3% pos . Norway - 30 samples representing polluted fjord areas as well as effluent
from municipal treatment plants, refineries, petrochemical and metallurgic industries: 0% pos at a
5 ppb limit of quantitation . Detected in the treated effluents of the following industries
(industry (concn)): electrical/electronic components (< 22 ppb mean, 35 ppb max organic
chemicals manufacturing/plastics (190 ppb max), petroleum refining (< 1 ppb max), and textile
mills (< 10 ppb max) . Additionally the raw wastewater of the following industries not listed
above contained 4-nitrophenol (industry (concn)): auto and other laundries (14 ppb mean),
aluminum forming (18 ppb max) metal finishing (10 ppb max), and photographic
equipment/supplies (57 ppb max) . National Urban Runoff Program in which 19 cities and
metropolitan councils across the USA (51 catchments) were sampled - detected in Long Island,
NY, Washington, DC, Little Rock AK, and Eugene, OR in the range 1-19 ppb, 9% frequency of
detection . Not detected in the effluent from 4 Southern Californian municipal wastewater
treatment plants .
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