P.

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

14k

E01

OFFICE OF

PREVENTION, PESTICIDES AND

TOXIC SUBSTANCES

12-10-96 /

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT : Delisting Petition for Methyl Ethyl Ketone :

Environmental Toxicity

FROM : J . V . Nabholz, Ph .D .

Health and Environmental

Review Division (7403 )

TO : Daniel R . Bushman

Acting Petitions Coordinator

ET501B, 202-260-388 2

Environmental Assistance Division (7408 )

I have reviewed the delisting petition for methyl ethyl

ketone (MEK) (78-93-3] . MEK is of low concern with respect to

environmental toxicity based on known measured toxicity data and

structure activity relationship (SAR) analysis .

1 . TOXICITY PROFILE : The toxicity profile for methyl ethyl

ketone is :

methyl ethyl ketone (78-93-3]

MEK ; 2-butanone ; methyl acetone ; smiles : CCC(=O)C ; MW72 ;

liquid ; log Kow =0 . 2 6 (CLOGP) , 0 . 2 6 (SRC) , 0 . 2 9 (M-Hansch&Leo

1958) ; water solubility = 24 g/L (M-ICB), 275 .0 g/L (Merck),

95 .3 g/L (M-SRC), 263 g/L @ 20 *C (M-Exxon-SIDS) ; vp = 77 .5 mm

Hg @ 20 C (M-ICB, DeLP), 100 mm Hg @ 25 * 3 C (HC&P-CRC) ; and HLC

= 5 .6~-5 atm .m /mol (P-EAB) , 3 .98E-1 atm

.

m /mol (P-SIDS) , 1 . 05E-5

atm . m /mol (DeLP )

RM1 ; OECD SIDS ; SARA Sec . 313 TRI ; Lead encapsulant chemical ;

Predicted (P) and measured (M) toxicity values in mg/L (ppm) are :

fish 96-h LC50 2300 .0 P

fish (FHM) 96-h LC50 3220 .0 M FT,M ERL-Dul

fish (SHM) 96-h NOEC 400 .0 M S,N Heit8l FLAG

daphnid 48-h LC50 2200 .0 P

daphnid 48-h LC50 5091.0 M S,N R&K8 .0 FLAG

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green algal 96-h EC50 1200 .0 P

green algal 192-h EC50 4300 .0 M S,N B&K78 FLAG

fish Chronic Value (ChV) 220 .0 P

fish ChV 300.0 P ACR10

daphnid ChV 52.0 P

algal ChV = 45 .0 P

Biological Fate

fish BCF 0.640 P

low concern for toxicity based on SAR ;

low concern for toxicity based on known test data ;

assessment factor (AsF) 10 . 0

CC (fish) 30 .0

CC (daphnids) 5 .0

CC (green algae) 5 . 0

low concern for bioconcentration potential in aquatic organisms

based on SAR ;

FLAG = Static method with nominal concentrations in open test

systems, i .e ., B&K78 used an open test tube over 8 days ; beware

of loss of MEK via volatilization .

Abbreviations are :

ACR10 = acute-to-chronic ratio = 10 ;

ai = active ingredients ;

AsF = assessment factor ;

BCF = bioconcentration factor ;

CC = concern concentration ;

ChV = Chronic value ;

DeLP = delisting petition ;

EC = effective concentration ;

M = measured concentrations ;

N = nominal concentrations ;

NOEC = no-observed-effect concentration ;

S = static method ;

SAR = structure activity relationship ;

TOC = total organic carbon ;

Prediction were based on SARs for neutral organic chemicals ;

MW72 ; log KOW = 0 . 2 6 (CLOGP) ; pH = 7 ; hardness <180 .0 mg/L as

CaC03 ; effective concentrations based on 100% active ingredients

and mean measured concentrations ; and TOC <2 .0 mg/L ;

References :

B&K78 = Bringmann & Kuhn (1978, Mitt . Int . Ver . Theor . Angew .

Limnol . 21 :275-284) .

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ERL-Dul = Tested at the Unites States Environmental Researc h

Laboratory-Duluth, office of Research and Development,

Environmental Protection Agency on 18 May 1980 and published

in Brooke et al (1984, Acute toxicities of organic chemicals

to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), University of

Wisconsin-superior, p .99 ; and in Veith et al (1983,

Aquatic toxicity and hazard assessment, 6th Symp ., ASTM

STP802, Philadelphia, PA, p .90-97) .

HC&P = Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Chemical Rubber

Company .

Heit8l Heitmuller et al (1981 ,

R&K80 Randall & Knopp, 1980, J . Water Pollut . Contr . Fed .

52(8) :2117-2130 .

2 . QUESTIONS : If you have any further questions, please

call (202-260-1271), fax (202-260-1236 or -1283), LAN mail,

email : nabholz .joe@epamail .epa .gov ; or visit (E427) .

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