1-Eicosanol

SRP: The most favorable course of action is to use an alternative chemical product with less inherent propensity for occupational exposure or environmental contamination. Recycle any unused portion of the material for its approved use or return it to the manufacturer or supplier. Ultimate disposal of the chemical must consider: the material's impact on air quality; potential migration in soil or water; effects on animal, aquatic, and plant life; and conformance with environmental and public health regulations.

Long-chain fatty acids and alcohols, including 1-eicosanol, inhibit specific binding of (3)H-labeled ouabain to a particulate fraction from dog heart. The magnitude of inhibition increases with chain length, reaching a maximum with lauric acid, myristoleic acid, and decanol in a series of saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and alcohols, respectively, followed by a decline with longer chain members of homologous series.

... None of these alcohols alone increased plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) significantly, whereas CCl4 or CHCl3 administration to alcohol-treated animals resulted in significant elevation of plasma transaminases. Eicosanol (20-carbon alcohol) did not potentiate the toxicity of either halomethane. Methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and decanol in combination with CCl4 caused massive liver damage but failed to augment CCl4 lethality. t-Butanol, pentanol, hexanol, and octanol significantly decreased the LD50 of CCl4. The hepatotoxic effects of CHCl3 were potentiated by all of the alcohols and the LD50s were also decreased significantly. Alcohol-potentiated CHCl3 toxicity was greater than the toxicity of CCl4.

The present ... experiments were designed to test: (i) whether a single subtoxic dose of alcohol can potentiate /carbon tetrachloride/ CCl4 and /chloroform/ CHCl3 hepatoxicity, and (ii) whether this potentiation leads to greater animal lethality. Selected members of a homologous series of straight chain alcohols were chosen for this study. Methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, t-butanol, pentanol, hexanol, octanol, decanol, and eicosanol at equimolar doses (10 mmol/kg) were tested in the present investigation. Each alcohol was administered orally to male Sprague-Dawley rats (175 to 250 g) 18 hr prior to a single oral administration of CCl4 or CHCl3. Liver injury was assessed by plasma transaminases (alanine aminotransferase, ALT; aspartate aminotransferase, AST) and histopathological examination of liver sections 24 hr after the halomethane treatment. None of these alcohols alone increased plasma ALT or AST significantly, whereas CCl4 or CHCl3 administration to alcohol-treated animals resulted in significant elevation of plasma transaminases. Eicosanol (20-carbon alcohol) did not potentiate the toxicity of either halomethane. Methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and decanol in combination with CCl4 caused massive liver damage but failed to augment CCl4 lethality. t-Butanol, pentanol, hexanol, and octanol significantly decreased the LD50 of CCl4 .... On a comparative basis, alcohol-potentiated CHCl3 toxicity was greater than the toxicity of CCl4.

TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 4.4X10+4(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that 1-eicosanol is expected to be immobile in soil(SRC). Volatilization of 1-eicosanol from moist soil surfaces may be an important fate process(SRC) given an estimated Henry's Law constant of 9.3X10-4 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), using a fragment constant estimation method(3). 1-Eicosanol is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon an estimated vapor pressure of 4.5X10-8 mm Hg(4). 1-Eicosanol is expected to biodegrade rapidly(5).

AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 4.4X10+4(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that 1-eicosanol is expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment(SRC). Volatilization from water surfaces may be expected(3) based upon an estimated Henry's Law constant of 2.1X10-5 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), developed using a fragment constant estimation method(4). Using this Henry's Law constant and an estimation method(3), volatilization half-lives for a model river and model lake are 7 hours and 7 days, respectively(SRC). However, adsorption to suspended solids is expected to attenuate volatilization(SRC). The estimated volatilization half-life from a model pond is 16 months if adsorption is considered(9). According to a classification scheme(5), an estimated BCF of 10(SRC), from an estimated log Kow of 8.7(6) and a regression-derived equation(7), suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC). 1-Eicosanol is expected to biodegrade rapidly(8).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), 1-eicosanol, which has an estimated vapor pressure of 4.5X10-8 mm Hg at 25 °C(SRC), determined from a fragment constant method(2), will exist in both the vapor and particulate phases in the ambient atmosphere. Vapor-phase 1-eicosanol is degraded in the atmosphere by reaction with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals(SRC); the half-life for this reaction in air is estimated to be 13 hours(SRC), calculated from its rate constant of 2.9X10-11 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C(SRC) that was derived using a structure estimation method(3). Particulate-phase 1-eicosanol may be removed from the air by wet or dry deposition(SRC).

Emission rates from wood smoke in mg/g of organic carbon were found to be 0.286 for red oak(1), 0.047 for balsam(1), 0.020 for yellow poplar(2), and 0.116 for mockernut hickory(2). 1-Eicosanol emission rates from wood smoke were calculated as 0.3 ug/g, 0.1 ug/g, and 1.0 ug/g from oak, eucalyptus and pine, respectively(3). 1-Docosanol emission rate from road dust samples was 2.1 ug/g(4).

Using a structure estimation method based on molecular connectivity indices(1), the Koc of 1-eicosanol can be estimated to be 4.4X10+4(SRC). According to a classification scheme(2), this estimated Koc value suggests that 1-eicosanol is expected to be immobile in soil.

1-Eicosanol has been found in wood smoke from red oak(1), balsam(1), yellow poplar(2), mockernut hickory(2), eucalyptus(3) and pine(3). 1-Eicosanol emission rates from green leaf composite samples and dead leaves were 34 ug/g and 17 ug/g, respectively(4).

URBAN/SUBURBAN: 1-Eicosanol was found in California at atmospheric concentrations of 2.0 ng/cu m, and 2.1 ng/cu m in Bakersfield and Fresno, respectively(1).

RURAL/REMOTE: 1-Eicosanol was found in California at an atmospheric concentration of 0.2 ng/cu m in Kern Wildlife Refuge(1). 1-Eicosanol was measured in the Agrafa Mountains, Greece at 0.23-0.39 ng/cu m from July 27 to August 9, 1998(2).

1-Eicosanol was detected in lake trout caught at Apostle Island, WI in Lake Superior on Sept 15, 1977 and at Rockport, MI in Lake Huron on Nov 19, 1977. 1-Eicosanol was also found in Walleye caught at Anchor Bay, Mi in Lake St. Clair on Nov 17, 1977 and Dunkirk, PA in Lake Erie on Oct 21, 1977(1).

An estimated BCF of 10 was calculated for 1-eicosanol(SRC), using an estimated log Kow of 8.7(1) and a regression-derived equation(2). According to a classification scheme(3), this BCF suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC).