P.

PICMETHYL ETHYL KETONE (MEK)

SIDS INITIAL AsSESSIVIENT REPORT

1 . IDENTrry X0 .

CHEWCAL NAME: MErm Erm KETONE

SYNONIM: 2-BUTANONE; 34krmow; BUTAW)NE: ACETONE, METIM;

Enm mEnm KETONE; KETONE, ET(m MmmL; MmyL

ACETONE; N 1 K

CAS No.: 78-93-3

IMPURMES: ftc-euTYLALcomw ACETONE

2. ExposuRa

2.1 GENERAL 01SCUSWN

Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is a dear, colorless, organic liquid with a sharp sweet

odor. It is miscible w-ft water and WIti

a Variety & OroWiCso k . - Me" ethyl ketone is a highly versatils organic corr~o6hd but fin& ks greatest utility

as a solvent in the surface coatings industry. No use as a sokwd 1br vinyllicquers

is well established and accounts for ft largest use. Nkracefulose lacquers consume

large volumes of methyl ethyl ketone and solubbation of acrylic coatings also

conftutes to the overall use ofn*hyl e" ketone by the surface coatings industry.

Methyl athyl ketone in also commonly used as a solvat for rubber cements and other

natural or syntheft .resins for adhesive use . Other important applications are as in

exbadjon solmdfordewaxing of kd)eod and asat, 1111WINNSawl theproduction

of andoxicl - t , psi fim . and catalysts. Methyl a" kistone is also used by the hard

wood indusby and In the production of smokeless powder. it is routinely used

in pri-diri kft, degressing and cleiming fluids and as a component of the solvent

sy"n used in producing magnetic tape.

2.2 ENVIRONNWITAL EXPOSURE.

The concentrations of MEK in the environme0 (air, water, sad) are low .

MEK is manufactured in totally on continuous processes and significant

emission reductions have been made over the past few years.

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The available data show that MEK does not cause any significant adverse eftcts on

It has only limited persistence in air, water, and soil . Studies show

reteUvely rapid degradation and evaporation of MEK in all three media . See Coxg

AL (INI), Choy Al al . (1979) . Methyl ethyl ketone does not sorb to suspended

particulate matter and has low bioconcentration potential . MEK is easily to

moderately biodegraded under aerobic conditions, evaporates quickly from water,

and is rapidly,d ed * h atm9sphere. MEK has Telatinwom-Phatortemicai

rqg!~~W does not deplete the ozone layer and does not contribute to global

warming .

In a study conducted by the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental

Protection, Ofilce of Cancer and Toxic Substances Research, in 1979, (Bozzelli al

al. 1980) no MEK was found (level of detection 0 .01 ppb) in 170 samples taken at 6

sites. Thirty-six simples were taken in Elizabeth, Now Jersey, near the Exxon

Bayway refinery, which at the Orne was the largest MEK producer in the United

States. (The Exxon Bayway refinery accounted for 40 percent of domestic

production of MEK in 1974-1975. See Lande al &1. 1976.)

In air dispersion modelling conducted by Hoechst Calanesia at their plant in Rock Hill,

S.C. (1974 - 1978), with estimated emissions of MEK of 61 0,0oo pounds annually,

the maximum 24 hour MEK concentration WIW4 ftPlant site was estimated'to be

I -0ppm- The maxirnum-8 hour concentration W83 estimated-to . be 2,5ppm. If MEK

emissions are estimated at 132,000 poundslytw (1993 SARA data), the maximum

24 hour MEK concentration is estimated to be 0.21 . The maximum 8 hour

concentraWn is estimated to be O.55ppm.

In addition, MEK was included in a volittile organ ic

.so-eening 3tudy conducted in

Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The sh* consisted of three days of sampift (March 6

al 1988) at four locatiorls in the vicinity of the North Baton Rouge Industrial Complex.

The four sites were representative of the following settings : (1) rural non4ndustrial;

(2) urban residlential near major transportation arteries ; (3) urban industrial; and (4)

runitl industriaL MEK was detected in only oft-third of the sam;iles and then only at

very low levels. The mean alftffw concentration "levels, for the four sampling

locations were 0.3.1 .0,2.1 and 3.2 ppb. In addition, mo&ft conducted on an MEK

ffWffWhKUAV PlIft in'the area with an assumed emission rob of 26.3M pounds per

yew (base4l an 1991 SARA data) resulted in a predicted "Wairrium 8 hour fence line

ro.irsft of 8A-'M*.

Art ambient air monitoring study that includes MEK Is being conducted in the

W (ship channel) area of Houston. The 1993 results of the Houston Regional

Monitoring Study showed airborne concentrations of MEK from 0. 15 ppb to 3.4. ppb.

The mean airborne concentration of MEK at the seven monitoring sites ranged from

.39 ppb to 0.78 ppb.

USEPA (Ewing st id. 1977) found MEK in only one of 204 sampling sites. MEK was
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reported at 23 ppb at the Burbank Western Wash which flows into the Los Angeles

River. No MEK was found. downstream at the next sampling station (South Gate,

Corwin (1969) evaluated the presence of volatile organics in marine emdronments .

ConcentraWris of MEK were reported from Straits of Florida in the United St~tes and

the eastern Mediterranean Sea. AM values reported were' less than 22 ug/1 . Corwin

suggested natural sources of ketones such as Volcanos, forest fire3, biodegradabon

and natural production by organism as possible sources contributing to MIEK in

marine environments .

Jungelaus tt a[. (1978). in a case study of industrial waste water, evaluated

the presence of MEK in waste water, river water and sediments . MEK was

found at 8.0 to 20.0 ppm in waste water but was no detected in river water or

sediments .

MEK has been shown to have only limited persis~ In water, air, and soil . Studies

show relatively rapid degradation and evaporation of MEK in all three environments .

MEK under 'ambient environmental conditions ' (10-20-C) Is soluble In water

-up to approximistelly 350 g1j . MEK'evaporates into dw atmosphere with an

expected haff4ffe o ri li~and~12 days n or* and hilm,respectly" v . Aerobic

degradation of MEK wi0 likely

be,

completed In--5-.10- days In fresh water and

somewhat longer in salt water. Sai4w -dn an' octanoP~ partition coefficient

I

of

LOG Ko~* a 02&0M, soqf t'n to.sidii4n~t wig M' be" a"s'i0ificant loss process.

MEK in groundwater Is expeded* to-blodegrack.', If ihierdAc~ corklitions exist in

groundwateir. biodegradation will occur but an WCHM11160n period Will UkOlY 31OW the

5' process. (Choy Stid.,1979)

With respect the aftoWwo rade Prin to a'ir,'MEK re b

d photo is- -'Jiowiiver, additionid degradation through

-h- radicals id# 9WAPUADUCtion (ca.`25% at JOH) 4 X Ur

molecules an4) inaease the ra4 of loss (Coxtt

Metabolic studies in ftw'demonsti am thit caA~",%An I U MU601 I ED to be present In the

envftnment w2l not lead to accumulation In L human *6si Bated on redictive p

IsUft the oetanollwatw'paiNoi cdefficient-(0.2M.'thi I!H*"- factor

is 11101y In b* 1.0 (aPProk- rapid degradation 0 33 'MEKs high waW i6kof t by

aquaft h - cteie, and low octariol-~pardfioncoefflcient suggest

.

that it'is unlikely

to in aquatic species.

-

- .In addition, aquatic toxicity testing shows that

MEK.has low degree of toxicity toward aquatic organism (Jungdaus 21 id., 1978).

2.3 ComsumER wown

Them is a possift of consumer exposure fi~m the finished products (described in

.2.1); however, given the types of product 1 MEK concentrations, and frequency

& duration of use, consumer exposure should be extremell
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2.4 OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE

MEK manufacturing plants are continuous, enclosed processes with minimal

occupational exposures. Potential exposures can occur during Such operations as

ca sa"Vb Collection, maintenance of equipment, and loading of trucks and/or rail rs.

Typical 8-hour firrie weighted average (TWA) exposures for an MEK manufacturing

plant are shown below and are in all cases well below the OSHA and ACGIH 8-hour

TWA of 200 parts of contaminant per million parts of air (ppm). Modeling conducted

to- estimate typical task exposure levels under moderate ventilation indicated a

probable average level of around 13 ppm MEK which is well below the OSHA and

ACGIH Short-term (15-minute) Exposure Limit (STEL) of 300 ppm for MEK.

MEK Exonure Daft From NIFK MariLftctiuring Pla

Work GrouR Geornetric Mean

Maintenance <0.3 ppm

Operations Personnel 0.3 - 1 .4ppm

Loaders 1 .7 - 2.Oppm
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EtEFERENCES

Bertsch. w., Anderson, E and G. Holzer (1975). Trace Analysis of 0rg ic tiles in Water an Vola

ty Gas Chromatography - Maw Spectrometry with Glass Capillary Columns . J .

hromatography 11 2: 701 - 71 S.

E3ozzelli, J., Kebekus, B., Greenberg, A., Now Jersey Institute of Technology Air Pollution

Research Laboratory (May 197a), Analysis of Selected Toxic and Carcinogenic Substances in

Ambient Air in new Jersey, prepared for Office of Cancer and Toxic Substances Research,

S",,of now Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection.

Ch-,oy, W.L., tj gl. (1979). Acclimation and degration of i waste pell water, components

bji~ithane faffnentatkm. Biotech. Bloeng. Symp, 8:391-414.

Corwin,` J. F. (1969). Volatile Oxygen-Containing Organic Compounds in Sea Water

ination. Bull. Marine Science 19(3): UX-509-

Ai Cdks RA. 21 a(. (1981). Mechanism of atmospheric phwl-a midd- of organic corrqiounds .

ixy radicals in oxidation of n-butane and simple ketonesi Environmental Sci .

Tedhnol. 12:587-592. .

Qk"V, B.S. jj if. (1977). MonMxft to Detect Previously Unrecognized Pollirlants in Surface

Oters. EPA 50&6-77-15 . USEPA, Office of Toxic Substances.

Hites (1978). Organic Compounds in an industrial k1n,gcbue, GA, Lop= - Avia, V. and R. A

Mite Water. A case sh*ofthwr Environmental ImpacL Envam. Sm Technol. 12(l): 88-96.

S., Durkin, P. Chrh*#w, D., Howard, P., Saxem, J., Syracuse Research Corp., (May

Investigation of Sekxftd Potential Environmental Contaminants ; Ketonic Solvents,

red for Offic:6 of Taxic Substances, Environmental Prolecdon Agency

Wpm),