| Chemical Abstract Number (CAS #) |
205823
|
|---|
| Synonyms | Benzo(j)fluoranthene |
|---|
| Analytical Method |
EPA Method 525 |
|---|
| Molecular Formula | C20H12 |
|---|
| Use | EXPERIMENTAL CARCINOGEN
BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH
|
|---|
| Apparent Color | YELLOW PLATES FROM ALCOHOL, NEEDLES FROM ACETIC ACID;
ORANGE NEEDLES FROM BENZENE & ALC
|
|---|
| Melting Point | 166 DEG C
|
|---|
| Molecular Weight | 252.32
|
|---|
| Environmental Impact | Benzo(j)fluoranthene is a component of crude oil and a product of combustion which
may be produced and released to the environment during natural fires. Emissions from petroleum
refining, coal tar distillation, and the combustion of wood, coal, oil, gasoline and diesel fuels are
major contributors of benzo(j)fluoranthene to the environment. Benzo(j)fluoranthene is not
commercially produced in the US; however, it may be released to the environment through
industrial effluents, municipal waste water treatment facilities and waste incinerators.
Benzo(j)fluoranthene is expected to biodegrade very slowly and is not expected to hydrolyze in
the environment. A calculated Koc range of 51,000 to 68,000, indicates benzo(j)fluoranthene will
be highly immobile in soil. In aquatic systems, benzo(j)fluoranthene partitions from the water
column to organic matter contained in sediments and suspended solids. Benzo(j)fluoranthene also
has the potential to bioconcentrate in aquatic systems. A Henry's Law constant of 7.39X10-7
atm-cu m/mole at 25 deg C, suggests volatilization of benzo(j)fluoranthene from environmental
waters will be slow. The volatilization half-lives from a model river and model pond, the latter
considers the effect of adsorption, have been estimated to be 70 days and over 400 years,
respectively. In the atmosphere, the vapor phase reaction with photochemically produced
hydroxyl radicals (half-life of 7 hr) may be an important fate process. However,
benzo(j)fluoranthene is expected to exist almost entirely in the particulate phase in ambient air.
Nevertheless, benzo(j)fluoranthene may undergo direct photolysis in the atmosphere. Otherwise,
washout by precipitation and gravitational settling may be important atmospheric removal
mechanisms for benzo(j)fluoranthene. The most probable human exposure would be occupational
exposure, which may occur through dermal contact or inhalation at places where
benzo(j)fluoranthene is produced as a product of combustion. Non-occupational exposures would
most likely occur via urban atmospheres, cigarette smoking, smoked and barbecued food,
contaminated drinking water supplies and recreational activities at contaminated waterways.
|
|---|
| Environmental Fate | TERRESTRIAL FATE: Limited soil grab sample data suggests the biodegradation of
benzo(j)fluoranthene will be very slow . Benzo(j)fluoranthene is not expected to undergo
hydrolysis in soils. Yet, benzo(j)fluoranthene absorbs UV light in the environmentally relevant
range (>290 nm), with lambda max of 291, 306, 317, 331, 362, 373 and 382 nm in
cyclohexane . Therefore, benzo(j)fluoranthene may potentially undergo photolysis in sunlit
media. A calculated Koc range of 51000 to 68000 , indicates benzo(j)fluoranthene will be
highly immobile in soil . An estimated Henry's Law constant of 7.39X10-7 atm-cu m/mole at 25
deg C , suggests the volatilization of benzo(j)fluoranthene from moist soils will not be
important .
AQUATIC FATE: Benzo(j)fluoranthene is not expected to undergo hydrolysis in environmental
waters. Yet, benzo(j)fluoranthene absorbs UV light in the environmentally relevant range (>290
nm), with lambda max of 291, 306, 317, 331, 362, 373 and 382 nm in cyclohexane . Therefore,
benzo(j)fluoranthene may potentially undergo photolysis in sunlit water. Monitoring data and an
estimated Koc ranging in the highly immobile class for soil , indicates benzo(j)fluoranthene will
partition from the water column to organic matter contained in sediments and suspended solids.
Benzo(j)fluoranthene also has the potential to bioconcentrate in aquatic systems. A Henry's Law
constant of 7.39X10-7 atm-cu m/mole at 25 deg C suggests volatilization of
benzo(j)fluoranthene from environmental waters will be slow . Based on this Henry's Law
constant, the volatilization half-life from a model river has been estimated to be 79 days(4,SRC).
The volatilization half-life from an model pond, which considers the effect of adsorption, has been
estimated to be over 400 years(5,SRC).
ATMOSPHERIC FATE: Benzo(j)fluoranthene absorbs UV light in the environmentally relevant
range (>290 nm), with lambda max of 291, 306, 317, 331, 362, 373 and 382 nm in
cyclohexane . Therefore, benzo(j)fluoranthene may potentially undergo photolysis in ambient
air. If released to the atmosphere as a gas, the vapor phase reaction of benzo(j)fluoranthene with
photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals is likely to be an important fate process. The rate
constant for the vapor-phase reaction of benzo(j)fluoranthene with photochemically produced
hydroxyl radicals has been estimated to be 58.4X10-12 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 deg C; which
corresponds to an atmospheric half-life of about 7 hours at an atmospheric concn of 5X10 5
hydroxyl radicals per cu cm . However, based upon a calculated vapor pressure of 1.50X10-8
mm Hg at 25 deg C, benzo(j)fluoranthene is expected to exist almost entirely in the
particulate phase in ambient air . Consequently, washout by precipitation and gravitational
settling may be important atmospheric removal mechanisms for benzo (j)fluoranthene.
|
|---|
| Drinking Water Impact | IN DRINKING-WATER, CONCN 1.0-14.0 UG/CU M B(J)F. IN RIVER & LAKE
WATER (53-17,840 UG/CU M) DEPENDING ON KIND OF WATER TESTED
(WHETHER OR NOT IT CONTAINED INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS OR BITUMINOUS
CONTAMINATION); WHILE IN SURFACE WATER 4.6-150 UG/CU M HAVE BEEN
FOUND. 29.6 MG/CU M IN SEWAGE WATER
GROUNDWATER: Benzo(j)fluoranthene was detected in a coal tar contaminated aquifer in St
Louis Park, MN .
RAIN/SNOW: Rain water in Portland, OR contained benzo(j)fluoranthene at concn of 0.26 and
2.9 ng/L for 2 of 7 samples collected between Feb 12 and April 12, 1984 .
EFFL: Benzo(j)fluoranthene was identified as a stack emission and a component of fly ash from
municipal waste incinerators(6). Effluent from the Bekkelaget sewage treatment plant
benzo(j)fluoranthene was at a concn less than 3 ng/L after dry and rainy days in Nov 1979 .
Residential coal and oil burning emits benzo(j)fluoranthene . Gasoline fueled vehicles also emit
benzo(j)fluoranthene . A carbon black combustion product and coal tar contained
benzo(j)fluoranthene at a concn of 20 ug/g and 5.7 mg/g, respectively . The effluent channel
from a coking plant contained benzo(j)fluoranthene in the sediments at concn of 23 ug/g .
Domestic fire soot from wood and coal contained benzo(j)fluoranthene at concn ranging from 6
to 117 ug/cu m with an average of 60 ng/cu m for 12 samples collected at Christchurch, New
Zealand .
|
|---|
