1,2-Dichloroethane

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Definition of 1,2-dichloroethane:
1,2-Dichloroethane is a clear chemically manufactured liquid. It evaporates quickly at room temperature and has a pleasant smell and a sweet taste. The most common use of 1,2-dichloroethane is to make vinyl chloride, which is used to make a variety of plastic and vinyl products including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and other important construction materials, packaging materials, furniture and automobile upholstery, wall coverings, housewares and auto mobile parts. [1]
This is the common definition for 1,2-dichloroethane, other definitions can be discussed in the article

Notes

1,2-Dichloroethane
Dichloroethane
Formula
C2H4Cl2

US annual production of 1,2-dichloroethane averaged around 7 million tonnes in the 1990s. It can enter the environment during manufacture, transport or use. Most 1,2-dichloroethane is released to the air, although some is released to rivers or lakes. [1]

1,2-Dichloroethane can evaporate rapidly from water or soils to the atmosphere where it is slowly degraded. It can persist in the atmosphere, with a half-live of 5 months. During this period it can be transported over large distances. It has a moderate water solubility of 8.69 g/l and is not expected to adsorb to particles or sediments. In water it is also slowly degraded, almost not biodegraded and most removal takes place by evaporation. It might take up to 10 days to half it's concentration in water by evaporation. 1,2-Dichloroethane doesn't have a tendency to bioaccumulate and is therefore not expected to biomagnify through food chains.[1]

Lethal concentrations of 1,2-dichloroethane for marine fish are above 118 mg/l, fresh water fish might be affected by concentrations above 30 mg/l. Marine invertebrates and marine algae start dying at concentrations above 36 mg/l and 100 mg/l respectively. [2]

It is suspected that 1,2-dichloroethane in the North Sea might reach concentrations up to 6,4 µg/l in heavily polluted coastal areas, although concentrations in polluted estuaries typically range around 0,5 µg/l and those in open seas around 0.005 µg/l. [2]


Environmental standards and legislation

Included in the water framework list of priority substances


References