Dithiobiuret

(Non-Specific -- Dithiocarbamate Pesticide, Solid, n.o.s.) Keep sparks, flames and other sources of ignition away. Keep material out of water sources and sewers. Avoid breathing dusts and fumes from burning material. Keep upwind; avoid bodily contact with the material. Do not handle broken packages without protective equipment. Wash away any material which may have contacted the body with copious amounts of water or soap and water. (EPA, 1998)

Generators of waste (equal to or greater than 100 kg/mo) containing this contaminant, EPA hazardous waste number P049, must conform with USEPA regulations in storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste.

A potential candidate for rotary kiln incineration at a temperature range of 820 to 1,600 °C and residence times of seconds for liquids and gases, and hours for solids. A potential candidate for fluidized bed incineration at a temperature range of 450 to 980 °C and residence times of seconds for liquids and gases, and longer for solids.

0.015 [mg/m3]

0.17 [mg/m3]

0.99 [mg/m3]

For emergency situations, wear a positive pressure, pressure-demand, full facepiece self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or pressure- demand supplied air respirator with escape SCBA and a fully-encapsulating, chemical resistant suit. (EPA, 1998)

TERRESTRIAL FATE: If 2,4-dithiobiuret is released to soil, it will be expected to hydrolyze relatively rapidly if the soil is moist, based upon a calculated half-life for hydrolysis in water of 4.1 days at 25 °C(1,SRC). Based upon this relatively rapid hydrolysis, adsorption to and volatilization from moist soil are not expected to be significant processes, although no data specifically regarding the fate of 2,4-dithiobiuret in soil were located(SRC).

AQUATIC FATE: If 2,4-dithiobiuret is released to water, it will be expected to hydrolyze relatively rapidly, based upon a measured hydrolysis rate constant of 7.1X10-3(1,SRC).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: If 2,4-dithiobiuret is released to the atmosphere, it will be susceptible to photooxidation via vapor phase reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals. An atmospheric half-life of 3.8 hours at an atmospheric concentration of 5X10+5 hydroxyl radicals per cu cm has been calculated for this process based upon an estimated rate constant(1,SRC).

No data were located concerning the biodegradation of 2,4-dithiobiuret either in natural systems or in laboratory studies(SRC). Since 2,4-dithiobiuret hydrolyzes relatively rapidly in water(1), biodegradation probably will not be a significant process in the environment(SRC).

Due to a lack of data, it is not possible to estimate the half-life for volatilization from water or soil(SRC). Volatilization of 2,4-dithiobiuret from water and moist soil, however, is not expected to be significant since the compound hydrolyzes relatively rapidly in water(1,SRC).

SENSITIVITY TO DITHIOBIURET-INDUCED FAILURE IN ROTAROD PERFORMANCE WAS GREATEST IN OLDER RATS OF BOTH SEXES (1 MG/KG/DAY). FEMALES WERE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE THAN MALES & FREQUENTLY DIED AFTER TREATMENT WAS STOPPED BUT MALES RECOVERED. EFFECTS OF CHRONIC DITHIOBIURET TREATMENT IN RATS WERE DECR FOOD & WATER INTAKE, LOSS OF BODY WT, DIURESIS, CHROMODACRYORRHEA & WATERY, MUCOID FECES.

TREATMENT OF RATS WITH 2,4-DITHIOBIURET CAUSES A DELAYED ONSET SKELETAL MUSCLE WEAKNESS WHICH WAS DETECTED BY A ROTAROD TEST. DAILY DOSES OF 0.125 MG/KG DITHIOBIURET DID NOT CAUSE MUSCLE WEAKNESS IN RATS AFTER 52 DAYS OF TREATMENT, BUT DAILY DOSES FROM 0.25 TO 16 MG/KG CAUSED MUSCLE WEAKNESS; ONSET WAS DETERMINED BY A LATENCY THRESHOLD OF 3-4 DAYS OR A CUMULATIVE DOSE THRESHOLD OF 4-5 MG/KG.

Daily treatment of rats with dithiobiuret at 1 mg/kg/day times 6 days produced a delayed onset depression of neuromuscular function.

Weanling, juvenile, and rats of both sexes were treated with 1 mg/kg/day (14)C-labeled dithiobiuret until they developed skeletal muscle weakness as detected by failure in a rotarod test. The latent period before the onset of weakness was longest in weanling animals of both sexes.

For more Non-Human Toxicity Excerpts (Complete) data for 2,4-DITHIOBIURET (6 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

The measured rate constant for hydrolysis of 2,4-dithiobiuret in aqueous solution at 25 °C is 7.1X10-3 hr-1(1). This corresponds to a half-life of 4.1 days for hydrolysis at pH 7(1,SRC). The rate constant for the vapor phase reaction of 2,4-dithiobiuret with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals has been estimated to be 100X10-12 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C which corresponds to an atmospheric half-life of 3.8 hr at an atmospheric concentration of 5X10+5 hydroxyl radicals per cu cm (2,SRC).

2,4-Dithiobiuret may be released to the environment as a result of its manufacture and use as a plasticizer and rubber accelerator, and in the manufacture of resins, rodenticides, and insecticides. If 2,4-dithiobiuret is released to soil, it will be expected to hydrolyze relatively rapidly if the soil is moist, based upon a calculated half-life for hydrolysis in water of 4.1 days at 25 °C. Based upon this relatively rapid hydrolysis, adsorption to and volatilization from moist soil are not expected to be significant processes, although no data specifically regarding the fate of 2,4-dithiobiuret in soil were located. If released to water, it will be expected to hydrolyze relatively rapidly, based upon a measured hydrolysis rate constant of 7.1X10-3 hr-1 in aqueous solution at 25 °C which corresponds to a half-life of 4.1 days. Based upon this relatively rapid hydrolysis, bioconcentration, volatilization, and adsorption to sediment and suspended solids are not expected to be significant processes. No data were located concerning biodegradation, but 2,4-dithiobiuret probably abiotically hydrolyzes significantly faster than it biodegrades. If released to the atmosphere, it will be susceptible to photooxidation via vapor phase reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals. An atmospheric half-life of 3.8 hours at an atmospheric concentration of 5X10+5 hydroxyl radicals per cu cm has been calculated for this process based upon an estimated rate constant. Exposure to 2,4-dithiobiuret will be primarily occupational, probably primarily via dermal and possibly inhalation routes of exposure. (SRC)

P049; As stipulated in 40 CFR 261.33, when 2,4-dithiobiuret, as a commercial chemical product or manufacturing chemical intermediate or an off-specification commercial chemical product or a manufacturing chemical intermediate, becomes a waste, it must be managed according to federal and/or state hazardous waste regulations. Also defined as a hazardous waste is any container or inner liner used to hold this waste or any residue, contaminated soil, water, or other debris resulting from the cleanup of a spill, into water or on dry land, of this waste. Generators of small quantities of this waste may qualify for partial exclusion from hazardous waste regulations (40 CFR 261.5(e)).

Persons in charge of vessels or facilities are required to notify the National Response Center (NRC) immediately, when there is a release of this designated hazardous substance, in an amount equal to or greater than its reportable quantity of 100 lb or 45.4 kg. The toll free number of the NRC is (800) 424-8802; In the Washington D.C. metropolitan area (202) 426-2675. The rule for determining when notification is required is stated in 40 CFR 302.4 (section IV. D.3.b).

Releases of CERCLA hazardous substances are subject to the release reporting requirement of CERCLA section 103, codified at 40 CFR part 302, in addition to the requirements of 40 CFR part 355. Dithiobiuret is an extremely hazardous substance (EHS) subject to reporting requirements when stored in amounts in excess of its threshold planning quantity (TPQ) of 100/10,000 lbs.