Phenyl acetate

Excerpt from ERG Guide 128 [Flammable Liquids (Water-Immiscible)]:

Use water spray, foam, powder, carbon dioxide.

Fresh air, rest.

Rinse and then wash skin with water and soap.

First rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible), then refer for medical attention.

Rest.

SRP: At the time of review, criteria for land treatment or burial (sanitary landfill) disposal practices are subject to significant revision. Prior to implementing land disposal of waste residue (including waste sludge), consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal practices.

Personal protection: filter respirator for organic gases and vapours adapted to the airborne concentration of the substance. Collect leaking liquid in sealable containers. Absorb remaining liquid in sand or inert absorbent. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations.

TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 150(SRC), determined from a log Kow value(2) and a regression-derived equation(3), indicates that phenyl acetate is expected to have high to moderate mobility in soil(SRC). In alkaline soils, hydrolysis of phenyl acetate is expected to be an important fate process with a half-life of 6 days at pH 8(6). Based on limited data, biodegradation of phenyl acetate is expected with a measured first-order rate constant of 0.060/hr(7). Volatilization of phenyl acetate from moist soil surfaces is expected to be important(SRC) given an estimated Henry's Law constant of 6.5X10-5 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), using a fragment constant estimation method(4). Phenyl acetate is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces based on an estimated vapor pressure of 0.398 mm Hg(5,SRC).

AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 150(SRC), determined from a log Kow value(2) and a regression-derived equation(3), indicates that phenyl acetate is not expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment in water(SRC). In alkaline water, hydrolysis of phenyl acetate is expected to be an important fate process with a half-life of 6 days at pH 8(6). Based on limited data, biodegradation of phenyl acetate is expected with a measured first-order rate constant of 0.060/hr(7). Phenyl acetate is expected to volatilize from water surfaces(3,SRC) based on an estimated Henry's Law constant of 6.5X10-5 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), developed using a fragment constant estimation method(4). Estimated volatilization half-lives for a model river and model lake are 19 hours and 9 days, respectively(3,SRC). According to a classification scheme(5), an estimated BCF of 8(3,SRC), from a log Kow value(2), suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), phenyl acetate, which has an estimated vapor pressure of 0.398 mm Hg at 25 °C(2,SRC), is expected to exist solely as a vapor in the ambient atmosphere. Vapor-phase phenyl acetate 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 8 days(3,SRC).

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The Koc of phenyl acetate is estimated as approximately 150(SRC), using a log Kow value of 1.49(1) and a regression-derived equation(2,SRC). According to a classification scheme(3), this estimated Koc value suggests that phenyl acetate is expected to have moderate to high mobility in soil(SRC).

An estimated BCF of 8 was calculated for phenyl acetate(SRC), using a log Kow value of 1.49(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).

The Henry's Law constant for phenyl acetate is estimated as 6.5X10-5 atm-cu m/mole(SRC) using a fragment constant estimation method(1). This Henry's Law constant indicates that phenyl acetate is expected to volatilize from water surfaces(2,SRC). Based on this Henry's Law constant, the estimated volatilization half-life from a model river (1 m deep, flowing 1 m/sec, wind velocity of 3 m/sec) is estimated as approximately 19 hours(2,SRC). The estimated volatilization half-life from a model lake (1 m deep, flowing 0.05 m/sec, wind velocity of 0.5 m/sec) is estimated as approximately 9 days(2,SRC). Phenyl acetate's Henry's Law constant(1,SRC) indicates that volatilization from moist soil surfaces may occur(SRC). Phenyl acetate is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces based on an extrapolated vapor pressure of 0.398 mm Hg(3).

The effects of phenylacetate (PA) on fetal brain growth were examined in pregnant rats receiving a 20% casein diet with 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5% phenylacetate. Control rats were fed the 20% casein diet ad libitum or restricted to daily consumption of 9 and 6 g. In experimental groups of rats total food intake during pregnancy decreased. ... By plotting the fetal brain weight (Y, mg) against maternal food intake (X, g/21 days) in control groups /an/ hyperbolic regression equation was obtained. ... Similar plots for excess phenylacetate rats fell below this line, indicating that prenatal fetal brain growth was impaired by an excess in phenylacetate per se specifically, as well as by decreased food intake nonspecifically. Administering the excess phenylacetate diets resulted in decreases in total RNA, total protein and RNA/DNA ration in the fetal brain, whereas total DNA was unchanged, showing the impairment of protein synthesis, not proliferation. No remarkable changes in concentration and pattern of free amino acids in maternal plasma in excess phenylacetate groups were observed. ...

... The aim of this study was to determine the teratogenicity of phenylalanine and phenylalanine metabolites. The system of whole embryo culture was employed and D9 (neurulating) mouse embryos were exposed to phenylalanine, phenylethylamine (PEA), phenylpyruvate (PPA), phenylacetate (PAA), 2-OHphenylacetate (2-OH), and phenyllacetate (PLA) at concentrations from 0.01 mM to 10 mM for 24 hr. Embryos were examined for morphological abnormalities and protein content. Phenylalanine at 1 and 6 mM concentrations was not teratogenic, however, 10 mM produced NTD's in 82% of the embryos. Phenylethylamine was the most toxic factor at concentrations of 1 and 10 mM were embryo lethal whereas NTD's were observed at 0.1 mM in 70% of the embryos. 2-OHphenylacetate was the next most toxic metabolite at 1 and 10 mM producing NTD's in 10 and 100% of the conceptuses respectively. phenyllactate and phenylacetate produced no NTD's at 1 mM, 60% at 5 mM, and 100% at 10 mM. Phenylacetate produced approximately 50% NTD'S at both 1 mM and 10 mM. Phenyllactate, phenylacetate, 2-OHphenylacetate, and phenylpyruvate produced a significant reduction in embryonic protein, and phenylethylamine and 2-OHphenylacetate reduced yolk sac protein values. The results indicate that phenylalanine and its metabolites have differential effects on neurulating mouse embryos and would suggest that a combination of phenylalanine and one or more of its metabolites, or synergism between metabolites, play a role in the phenyl-ketonuric embryopathy.