SPECTRUM

Chemical Fact Sheet

Chemical Abstract Number (CAS #) 105679
Synonyms2,4-Dimethylphenol
Phenol, 2,4-dimethyl-
Analytical Methods EPA Method 604
EPA Method 625
EPA Method 8040A
EPA Method 8250A
Molecular FormulaC8H10O
Use MANUFACTURE OF PHARMACEUTICALS, PLASTICS, INSECTICIDES, FUNGICIDES, RUBBER CHEM, WETTING AGENTS, DYESTUFFS. ADDITIVES TO LUBRICANTS AND GASOLINES; IN PLASTICIZERS. COMMERCIAL MIXTURES HORTICULTURAL FORMULATION FOR ERADICATION OF CROWN GALL TUMORS. Used in phosphate esters, alkylated xylenols, antioxidants. Xylenol 100 IN SOLVENTS, PHARMACEUTICALS, INSECTICIDES AND FUNGICIDES; PLASTICIZERS; RUBBER CHEMICALS; WETTING AGENTS; ADDITIVES TO LUBRICANTS AND GASOLINES; DYESTUFFS. COMMERCIAL MIXTURES Used in the production of high-viscosity phosphate esters, as a feedstock for hindered phenol antioxidant and specialty modified phenolic resin manufacture. Xylenol 410 Used as a disinfectant/bacteriocide/germicide, sanitizer, virucide and fungicide on hospital premises, hospital critical premises, human nursery premises, hospital patient premises, hospital noncritical premises, surgical instruments, hypodermic needles/syringes, dental instruments, hospital instruments, oral and inhalation equipment, diagnostic instruments/equipment, dental appliances, hospital critical equipment, dental equipment, hospital materials, human nursery equipment, hospital janitorial equipment, lockers, laundry (hospital), diapers (hospital), laundry equipment, bathroom premises, water closets, and hard, nonpourous surfaces. Bulk Lysol Brand Disinfectant Used as disinfectant/bacteriocide/germicide, fungicide and sanitizer against animal pathogenic bacteria (gram - and gram vegetative) and pseudomonas spp on household premises, household contents (nursery), sickroom premises, bathroom premises, toilet bowls, diaper pails, and garbage containers. Lysol Brand disinfectant Used as a bacteriostat against Agrobactrium tumefaciens (crown gall) on almonds (bark treatment, dormant application), walnuts (post-harvest application to non-stored commodity, dormant application), pears (bark treatment, dormant application), apricots (bark treatment dormant application), cherries (bark treatment, dormant application), peaches (bark treatment, dormant application), plums (bark treatment, dormant application), and prunes (bark treatment, dormant application, dormant application). Also used against Pseudomonas savastanoi (olive knot) on olives (bark treatment, dormant application). Bacticin Used as a microbicide/microbistat against Agrobacterium tumefaciens crown gall in bark treatment and dormant application of grapes, almonds, walnuts, apples, pears, apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, prunes, and ornamental plants. Gallex Used as an intrastate and insecticide and miticide against flies and their eggs in/on livestock buildings (open premise treatment), livestock loafing areas (open premise treatment), livestock manure, pets (open premise treatment), non-farm animal non-pet buildings (extrior treatment, non-farm animal/non-pet manure, homes (yards, outdoor), bakeries (outdoor-inedible), meat processing plants (outdoor-inedible) and land fill areas. Du Cor Concentrated fly Insecticide/ Used as an intrastate, insecticide/miticide, and fungicide on wood to control termites. /Gable-Tite Dar Creosote (Creola) Used as an intrastate and insecticide/miticide on wood to control termites. Gable-Tite Light Creosote (Creola) Used against Pseudomonas savastanol (olive knot) on olives. Gallex
Apparent Color CRYSTALS; NEEDLES FROM WATER; Colorless needles
Boiling Point 211.5 DEG C AT 766 MM HG
Melting Point 25.4-26 DEG C
Molecular Weight 122.16
Density 0.9650 AT 20 DEG C/4 DEG C
Odor Threshold Concentration 0.001 mg/cu m (recognition in air); 0.0005-0.4 mg/cu m (detection in air) 0.4 mg/l (detection in water)
Environmental Impact 2,4-Dimethylphenol is released to the environment as fugitive emissions and in wastewater as a result of coal tar refining, coal processing and in its use in chemical/plastics manufacturing. When released in water it will degrade principally due to biodegradation with a half-life of hours to days at ambient temperature. In humic waters oxidation by alkyl peroxy radicals may also be important. Adsorption to sediment and particulate matter in the water column will only be moderate and bioconcentration in fish should not be significant. If spilled on soil, 2,4-dimethylphenol will probably adsorb moderately to the soil and biodegrade in several days. In the atmosphere, it will degrade during daylight hours by reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals (half-life 8 hr). At night it will probably degrade very rapidly by reaction with nitrate radicals. Washout by rain will also be an effective removal process. Human exposure will be primarily from dermal contact with chemicals containing phenolic mixtures and inhalation by occupationally exposed workers.
Environmental Fate TERRESTRIAL FATE: If spilled on soil 2,4-dimethylphenol would adsorb moderately to soil. It is reported to have been biodegraded in soil in 4 days at 19 deg C(1,SRC). AQUATIC FATE: When released in water, 2,4-dimethylphenol may adsorb moderately to sediment and will be readily biodegradable. The biodegradation rates are comparable to that of phenol in one river but biodegradation rates were not given. The half life should be less than several days in humic waters due to photooxidation by alkylperoxy radicals. Photolysis may occur in clear surface waters. ATMOSPHERIC FATE: If released in air, vapor phase 2,4-dimethylphenol should degrade by reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals (half-life 8 hr). At night it would be rapidly attacked by nitrate radicals in urban areas. Scavenging by rain will be an effective removal process as is reflected by the high concentrations in rain water.
Drinking Water Impact DRINKING WATER: Listed as having been identified in drinking water in the USA(1,2). SURFACE WATER: Detected in 1% of 804 samples reported in STORET, EPA's water quality database for 1975-82 . Immediately downstream from a waste input into a creek from a former pine-tar manufacturing facility - Gainesville, FL in the 10-200 ug/l range . Identified in Smith Creek, Sept 1980 near, and shortly after the Mt. St. Helens explosion, but it was not found in 3 nearby lakes. The source of the 2,4-Dimethylphenol is probably due to the pyrolysis of tree and other conifers after the explosion. Biodegradation probably occurred to a much greater extent in the lakes than it did in the stream . Identified in on-site lagoons at a covered wastefill in Forest Waste, MI, at a concentrations estimated at 40 and 100 ug/l . GROUND WATER: Detected in ground water at all four sites investigated in a sand aquifer at Pensacola Florida underlying a wood-preserving facility - 0-5.65 mg/l . While detected in samples from 6,12,18 and 24 m depth, not detected at 30 m depth . Detected in 10 of 11 wells underlying a former pine-tar manufacturing facility in Gainesville, FL 1-9400 ug/l (including 2,5-dimethylphenol) . Identified at a closed wood-to-charcoal conversion plant in McKean county, PA in 2 of 3 groundwater wells at estimated concentrations of 34 and 360 mg/l . Analyzed at a closed, filled, landfill at Hipps Road Landfill, FL in 1 of 3 groundwater wells at 13 ug/l . 2,4-Dimethylphenol was identified in groundwater at a unauthorized disposal site in Pemberton Township, NJ at a concentration of 32 ug/l . Identified as a component of the leachate from a Barcelona, Spain, sanitary landfill(6). RAIN/SNOW: The concentration of 2,4- and 2,5-dimethylphenol, combined in rainwater for seven events in Portland, OR ranged from 300 to 1300 ng/l, 820 ng/l avg . EFFL: 2,4-Dimethylphenol was found in six effluents in an EPA survey (4000 samples) of effluents covering 46 industrial catagories . Industries with positive levels of 2,4-dimethylphenol included iron and steel manufacturing, petroleum refining, organics and plastics, rubber processing, organic chemicals, and publicly owned treatment works . Detected in 3.4% of 1321 effluent samples reported in STORET, EPA's water quality data base (1975-82) . Detected in two out of five effluents of hazardous waste incinerators . Detected at 10 ug/l in urban runoff in Washington, DC . This constituted a 2% frequency of detection in the National Urban Runoff Program which examined 86 runoff samples from 15 USA cities . Final effluent of Los Angeles County Municiple Wastewter Treatment Plant; 5 and <10 ppb in July 1978 and Nov 1980, respectively . Of 18 advanced water treatment effluents analyzed, found in effluents at Lake Tahoe (2 ng/l) and Blue Plains, WA (1 and 8.9 ng/l)(6). Determined in waste water from gasification of Indian Head lignite coal (North Dakota) in an estimated concentration of 368 mg/l, as a mixture with 2,5-DMP . A summary of analysis for 2,4-dimethylphenol in effluent reports that it was found 3 times in residential, 8 times in industrial, and 2 times in commercial effluent, with an overall source average discharge concentration of 0.7, 0.0, and 74.0 ug/l, respectively .

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