3,5-Dinitrotoluene

/Apply/ water, dry chemical, or carbon dioxide from protected location.

If material on fire or involved in fire: Use water in flooding quantities as fog. Use foam, dry chemical, or carbon dioxide. Apply water from as far a distance as possible. Keep run-off water out of sewers and water sources. /Dinitrotoluenes, molten/

If material on fire or involved in fire: Use water in flooding quantities as fog. Cool all affected containers with flooding quantities of water. Apply water from as far a distance as possible. Solid streams of water may be ineffective. Use foam, dry chemical, or carbon dioxide. /Dinitrotoluene, liquid; dinitrotoluene, solid/

Environmental considerations - water spill: Use natural deep water pockets, excavated lagoons, or sand bag barriers to trap material at bottom. Remove trapped material with suction hoses. If dissolved, in region of 10 ppm or greater concentration, apply activated carbon at ten times the spilled amount. Use mechanical dredges or lifts to remove immobilized masses of pollutants and precipitates. /Dinitrotoluene, liquid; dinitrotoluene, solid/

Environmental considerations - land spill: Cover solids with plastic sheet to prevent dissolving in rain or fire fighting water. /Dinitrotoluene, liquid; dinitrotoluene, solid/

SRP: The most favorable course of action is to use an alternative chemical product with less inherent propensity for occupational harm/injury/toxicity 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 and plant life; and conformance with environmental and public health regulations.

SRP: Wastewater from contaminant suppression, cleaning of protective clothing/equipment, or contaminated sites should be contained and evaluated for subject chemical or decomposition product concentrations. Concentrations shall be lower than applicable environmental discharge or disposal criteria. Alternatively, pretreatment and/or discharge to a permitted wastewater treatment facility is acceptable only after review by the governing authority and assurance that "pass through" violations will not occur. Due consideration shall be given to remediation worker exposure (inhalation, dermal and ingestion) as well as fate during treatment, transfer and disposal. If it is not practicable to manage the chemical in this fashion, it must be evaluated in accordance with EPA 40 CFR Part 261, specifically Subpart B, in order to determine the appropriate local, state and federal requirements for disposal.

Dinitrotoluene is a waste chemical stream constituent which may be subjected to ultimate disposal by controlled incineration. Pretreatment involves contact of the dinitrotoluene contaminated waste with sodium carbonate and solid combustibles followed by incineration in an alkaline scrubber equipped incinerator unit. /Dinitrotoluene/

... Program to prevent health impairment due to exposure to aromatic nitro-compounds requires exposure control & med supervision. ... Job analysis to ensure proper handling procedures, adequate equipment design for both operating & maintenance, & appropriate ventilation with air-pollution control are minimum requirements. Totally enclosed systems are preferred. ... Air analysis can be helpful; but in general, results have been misleading due to low vapor pressure of nitrobenzene derivatives & contamination of surfaces where skin contact occurs. ... Mist from hot charges, leaking lines, steaming operations, hot drainage ditches, etc, cannot be ignored as sources of gross skin exposure & contamination of the work environment. /Nitro-cmpd, aromatic/

SRP: Contaminated protective clothing should be segregated in such a manner so that there is no direct personal contact by personnel who handle, dispose, or clean the clothing. The completeness of the cleaning procedures should be considered before the decontaminated protective clothing is returned for reuse by the workers. Contaminated clothing should not be taken home at the end of shift, but should remain at employee's place of work for cleaning.

The worker should immediately wash the skin when it becomes contaminated. /Dinitrotoluene/

The worker should wash daily at the end of each work shift, and prior to eating, drinking, smoking, etc. /Dinitrotoluene/

For more Preventive Measures (Complete) data for 3,5-DINITROTOLUENE (10 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

8 hr Time Weighted Avg (TWA) 0.2 mg/cu m, skin. /Dinitrotoluene/

Excursion Limit Recommendation: Excursions in worker exposure levels may exceed 3 times the TLV-TWA for no more than a total of 30 minutes during a work day, and under no circumstances should they exceed 5 times the TLV-TWA, provided that the TLV-TWA is not exceeded. /Dinitrotoluene/

A3; Confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans. /Dinitrotoluene/

Biological Exposure Index (BEI): Determinant: Methemoglobin in blood; Sampling Time: during or end of shift; BEI: 1.5% of hemoglobin. The determinant may be present in biological specimens collected from subjects who have not been occupationally exposed, at a concentration which could affect interpretation of the result. Such background concentrations are incorporated in the BEI value. The determinant is nonspecific, since it is also observed after exposure to other chemicals. The biological determinant is an indicator of exposure to the chemical, but the quantitative interpretation of the measurement is ambiguous. These determinants should be used as a screening test if a quantitative test is not practical, or as a confirmatory test if the quantitative test is not specific and the origin of the determinant is in question. /Methemoglobin inducers/

Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact. /Dinitrotoluene/

Wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye contact. /Dinitrotoluene/

Facilities for quickly drenching the body should be provided within the immediate work area for emergency use where there is a possibility of exposure. [Note: It is intended that these facilities provide a sufficient quantity or flow of water to quickly remove the substance from any body areas likely to be exposed. The actual determination of what constitutes an adequate quick drench facility depends on the specific circumstances. In certain instances, a deluge shower should be readily available, whereas in others, the availability of water from a sink or hose could be considered adequate.] /Dinitrotoluene/

Respirator Recommendations: At concentrations above the NIOSH REL, or where there is no REL, at any detectable concentration: /Dinitrotoluene/ [Table#5989]

For more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Complete) data for 3,5-DINITROTOLUENE (6 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

LC50; Species: Daphnia (water flea); Concentration: 45 mg/L for 48 hr /Conditions of bioassay not specified in source examined/

LC50; Species: Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow); Conditions: static; Concentration: 22.0 mg/L for 96 hr

LC50; Species: Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow); Concentration: 23 mg/L for 96 hr /Conditions of bioassay not specified in source examined/

TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), estimated Koc values of 564(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), and 370(SRC), determined from an estimated log Kow of 2.18(2), indicate that 3,5-dinitrotoluene is expected to have moderate to low mobility in soil(SRC). Volatilization of 3,5-dinitrotoluene from moist soil surfaces is not expected to be an important fate process(SRC) given an estimated Henry's Law constant of 9.3X10-8 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), using a fragment constant estimation method(2). 3,5-Dinitrotoluene is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon an extrapolated vapor pressure of 4.05X10-4 mm Hg at 25 °C(3). 3,5-Dinitrotoluene may be susceptible to photolysis on surfaces exposed to sunlight based on the behavior of 2,4-dinitrotoluene which had sunlight photolysis half-lives of 43 hr in distilled water and 2.7, 9.6, and 3.7 hrs in river, bay, and pond waters, respectively(4), and its quantum yield of 0.00004 at 313 nm(5). Biodegradation data specific to 3,5-dinitrotoluene in soil were not available(SRC, 2012).

AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), estimated Koc values of 564(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), and 370(SRC), determined from an estimated log Kow of 2.18(2), indicate that 3,5-dinitrotoluene is expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment(SRC). Volatilization from water surfaces is not expected(3) based upon an estimated Henry's Law constant of 9.3X10-8 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), developed using a fragment constant estimation method(2). 3,5-Dinitrotoluene is not expected to undergo hydrolysis in the environment due to the lack of functional groups that hydrolyze under environmental conditions(3). In aqueous solution, 3,5-dinitrotoluene has a quantum yield of 0.00004 at 313 nm(4) indicating that it is susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight(SRC). The quantum yield of 3,5-dinitrotoluene is slightly lower than that of 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 2,6-dinitrotoluene(4), so photolysis rates of 3,5-dinitrotoluene are expected to be slightly slower than those of the other two isomers. Photolysis of 1.0 ppm 2,4-dinitrotoluene in distilled and natural waters gave half-lives of 43 hr in distilled water and 2.7, 9.6, and 3.7 hrs in river, bay, and pond waters, respectively(5). Direct photolysis of 2,4-dinitrotoluene in distilled water resulted in a half-life range of 1.8 to 11.5 days, depending on latitude(6). The half-life for 2,6-dinitrotoluene in river water exposed to sunlight was 12 minutes and it was determined to be an indirect photoreaction(7). According to a classification scheme(8), an estimated BCF of 13(SRC), from an estimated log Kow of 2.18(2) and a regression-derived equation(2), suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC). Biodegradation may be an important fate process in water based on a study in which it was shown to be co-metabolized in natural surface water to which yeast extract was added(9).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), 3,5-dinitrotoluene, which has an extrapolated vapor pressure of 4.05X10-4 mm Hg at 25 °C(2), is expected to exist solely as a vapor in the ambient atmosphere at temperatures above 25 °C. At temperatures below 15 °C, the gas/particle partitioning model predicts that 3,5-dinitrotoluene will exist in both the vapor and particulate phases. Vapor-phase 3,5-dinitrotoluene 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 92 days(SRC), calculated from its rate constant of 1.75X10-13 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C(SRC), determined using a structure estimation method(3). Particulate-phase 3,5-dinitrotoluene may be removed from the air by wet or dry deposition(SRC). 3,5-Dinitrotoluene is susceptible to direct photolysis in sunlight(4).

3,5-Dinitrotoluene has been detected at concentrations ranging from 0.005-0.30 mg/L(1) and at a mean concentration of 0.058 mg/L(2) in condensate effluent resulting from the production and purification of TNT. Dinitration of toluene, which can be used in the preparation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene, results in a mixture containing trace amounts of 3,5-dinitrotoluene(3,4).

Initial Medical Examination: a) A complete history and physical examination: The purpose is to detect existing conditions that might place the exposed employee at increased risk and to establish a baseline for future health monitoring. Examination of blood, liver, and cardiovascular system should be stressed. b) A complete blood count: Dinitrotoluene has been shown to cause methemoglobinemia. Those with blood disorders may be at increased risk. A complete blood count should be performed, including a red cell count, a white cell count, a differential count of a stained smear, as well as hemoglobin and hematocrit. Observe for Heinz bodies. c) Liver function tests: Since liver damage has been observed in humans exposed to dinitrotoluene, a profile of liver function should be obtained by using a medically acceptable array of biochemical tests. Periodic Medical Examination: The aforementioned medical examination should be repeated on an annual basis. Methemoglobin determinations should be performed at any time overexposure is suspected or signs and symptoms of toxicity occur. The level of dinitrotoluene in the urine should be determined; excretion of dinitrotoluene in excess of 25 mg/L indicates significant absorption. /Dinitrotoluene/

Using a structure estimation method based on molecular connectivity indices(1), the Koc of 3,5-dinitrotoluene can be estimated to be 564(SRC). Using a structure estimation method based on an estimated log Kow of 2.18(1), the Koc of 3,5-dinitrotoluene can be estimated to be 370(SRC). According to a classification scheme(2), these estimated Koc values suggest that 3,5-dinitrotoluene is expected to have medium to low mobility in soil.

3,5-Dinitrotoluene's production as a by-product in the manufacturing of dinitrotoluene isomeric mixtures(1) and its use as a cathodic depolarizer for magnesium batteries and chemical intermediate(2) may result in its release to the environment through various waste streams(SRC).

AEROBIC: 3,5-Dinitrotoluene was not mineralized in water from a pond and from Waconda Bay; however, 3,5-dinitrotoluene was co-metabolized when 500 ppm of yeast extract was added to the water from these two sources(1). The rate of degradation with added yeast extract in Searsville Pond water was 5.1X10+10 mL/cell-hour, and in Waconda Bay water 0.46X10+10 mL/cell-hour(1). Mixed dinitrotoluene isomers, present at 100 mg/L, reached 0% of its theoretical BOD in 2 weeks using an activated sludge inoculum at 30 mg/L in the Japanese MITI test that suggests the compound is not readily biodegradable(2).

3,5-Dinitrotoluene

Group 3: Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans

Volume 65: (1996) Printing Processes and Printing Inks, Carbon Black and Some Nitro Compounds

1996

1995

An estimated BCF of 13 was calculated in fish for 3,5-dinitrotoluene(SRC), using an estimated log Kow of 2.18(1) and a regression-derived equation(1). According to a classification scheme(2), this BCF suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC).

The Henry's Law constant for 3,5-dinitrotoluene is estimated as 9.3X10-8 atm-cu m/mole(SRC) using a fragment constant estimation method(1). This Henry's Law constant indicates that 3,5-dinitrotoluene is expected to be essentially nonvolatile from water surfaces(2). 3,5-Dinitrotoluene's Henry's Law constant indicates that volatilization from moist soil surfaces is not expected to occur(SRC). 3,5-Dinitrotoluene is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon an extapolated vapor pressure of 4.05X10-4 mm Hg at 25 °C(3).

/LABORATORY ANIMALS: Acute Exposure/ A single administration of either technical grade dinitrotoluene or 2,6-dinitrotoluene (75 mg/kg, orally), in combination with partial hepatectomy, initiated hepatocytes in rats when assayed using hepatic initiation-promotion protocols. Five other dinitrotoluene isomers (2,3-; 2,4-; 2,5-; 3,4-; and 3,5-DNT) evaluated similarly exhibited no such potential.

/LABORATORY ANIMALS: Chronic Exposure or Carcinogenicity/ Multistage hepatocarcinogenic models were used to evaluate the relative initating and promoting properties of dinitrotoluene isomers. Male Fischer 344 rats were administered 75 mg/kg technical grade dinitrotoluene mixture containing 76.5% 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-dinitrotolune), 18.8% 3,4-dinitrotoluene (1.54% 2,3-dinitrotoluene, 0.69% 2,5-dinitrotoluene, and 0.04% 3,5-dinitrotoluene, or one of the six isomers, as initating agents 12 hours after partial hepatectomy. Only technical grade dinitrotoluene mixture and 2,6-dinitrotoluene had significant initiating ability. The promoting abilities of 2,6-dinitrotoluene and 2,4-dinitrotoluene were tested by administration in the diet to animals in which the carcinogenic process had been initiated with diethylnitrosamine. Both 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 2,6-dinitrotoluene had promoting ability, but 2,6-dinitrotoluene was a more potent promoter. Male Fischer 344 rats were fed daily diets containing 35 mg/kg technical grade dinitrotoluene mixture, 27 mg/kg 2,4-dinitrotoluene or 7 mg/kg 2,6-dinitrotoluene for a period of 1 year. The 2,6-dinitrotoluene isomer induced hepatocellular carcinoma in twice as many animals as did technical grade dinitrotoluene mixture, and 2,4-dinitrotoluene was not hepatocarcinogenic at all. /It was/ concluded that 2,6-dinitrotoluene is a complete carcinogen, capable of both initiation and promotion, while 2,4-dinitrotoluene acts as a promoter of the carcinogenic process, but is not capable of initiating it, and the hepatocarcinogenicity of technical grade dinitrotoluene mixture is mainly due to 2,6-dinitrotoluene.

/LABORATORY ANIMALS: Chronic Exposure or Carcinogenicity/ A 2 year bioassay demonstrated the potent hepatocarcinogenicity of technical grade dinitrotoluene which contains 76% 2,4-dinitrotoluene, 18% 2,6-dinitrotoluene and less than 3% of each 2,3; 2,5; 3,4 and 3,5-dinitrotoluene isomers. In contrast, a 2 year bioassay of 2,4-dinitrotoluene did not result in the appearance of hepatic neoplasms above the spontaneous incidence. Weak hepatocyte initiating activity was identified in technical grade dinitrotoluene and purified 2,6-dinitrotoluene. In contrast, 2,3; 2,4; 2,5; 3,4 and 3,5 isomers had no detectable initiating activity. When fed following a diethylnitrosamine initiating regimen, technical grade dinitrotoluene, purified 2,4 and 2,6-dinitrotoluene isomers had demonstrable promoting activity. The hepatic neoplasms resulting from technical grade dinitrotoluene feeding apparently resulted from the initiating activity of 2,6-dinitrotoluene followed by the promoting effect of both the 2,4 and 2,6-dinitrotoluene isomers. The lack of hepatic neoplasms following chronic feeding of 2,4-dinitrotoluene was apparently due to the lack of hepatic initiating activity.

This action promulgates standards of performance for equipment leaks of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI). The intended effect of these standards is to require all newly constructed, modified, and reconstructed SOCMI process units to use the best demonstrated system of continuous emission reduction for equipment leaks of VOC, considering costs, non air quality health and environmental impact and energy requirements. Dinitrotoluene is produced, as an intermediate or a final product, by process units covered under this subpart. /Dinitrotoluene/

Dinitrotoluene is designated as a hazardous substance under section 311(b)(2)(A) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and further regulated by the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977 and 1978. These regulations apply to discharges of this substance. This designation includes any isomers and hydrates, as well as any solutions and mixtures containing this substance. /Dinitrotoluene/

Toxic pollutant designated pursuant to section 307(a)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and is subject to effluent limitations. /Dinitrotoluene/