Ethane

Excerpt from ERG Guide 115 [Gases - Flammable (Including Refrigerated Liquids)]:

Excerpt from ERG Guide 115 [Gases - Flammable (Including Refrigerated Liquids)]:

Shut off supply; if not possible and no risk to surroundings, let the fire burn itself out. In other cases extinguish with water spray, powder. In case of fire: keep cylinder cool by spraying with water. Combat fire from a sheltered position.

Fresh air, rest. Artificial respiration may be needed. Refer for medical attention.

ON FROSTBITE: rinse with plenty of water, do NOT remove clothes. Refer for medical attention .

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

· CALL 911. Then call emergency response telephone number on shipping paper. If shipping paper not available or no answer, refer to appropriate telephone number listed on the inside back cover.

· ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames) from immediate area.

· CALL 911. Then call emergency response telephone number on shipping paper. If shipping paper not available or no answer, refer to appropriate telephone number listed on the inside back cover.

· ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames) from immediate area.

Remove from exposure; support respiration. (USCG, 1999)

Excerpt from ERG Guide 115 [Gases - Flammable (Including Refrigerated Liquids)]:

General First Aid:

General First Aid:

Flashback along vapor trail may occur.

Under fire conditions the cylinders may violently rupture and rocket.

... As a result of flow, agitation, etc, electrostatic charges can be generated ... On loss of containment ... /ethane/ can cause suffocation by lowering the oxygen content of the air in confined areas ... Rapid evaporation of the liquid may cause frostbite.

· Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).

· Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).

Wear self contained breathing apparatus for fire fighting if necessary.

Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.

Use water spray to cool unopened containers.

To fight fire stop flow of gas.

For more Fire Fighting Procedures (Complete) data for ETHANE (7 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.

Fireproof. Cool. Separated from strong oxidants and halogens.

Storage temp: -128 °F; venting: safety relief

Excerpt from ERG Guide 115 [Gases - Flammable (Including Refrigerated Liquids)]:

Excerpt from ERG Guide 115 [Gases - Flammable (Including Refrigerated Liquids)]:

Burn in a chemical incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber but exert extra care in igniting as this material is highly flammable. Offer surplus and non-recyclable solutions to a licensed disposal company. Contact a licensed professional waste disposal service to dispose of this material.

TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 37(SRC), determined from a log Kow of 1.81(2) and a regression-derived equation(3), indicates that ethane is expected to have very high mobility in soil(SRC). Volatilization of ethane from moist soil surfaces is expected to be an important fate process(SRC) given an estimated Henry's Law constant of 0.5 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), derived from its vapor pressure, 3.15X10+4 mm Hg(4), and water solubility, 60.2 mg/L(5). Ethane is expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon its vapor pressure(4). Ethane was oxidized to ethanol in lake water and soil within 24 hours using cell suspensions from over 20 methyltrophic organisms(6,7). This suggests that biodegradation may be an important fate process in the environment; however, ethane is a gas and therefore volatilization is expected to be the dominant fate process(SRC).

AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 37(SRC), determined from a log Kow of 1.81(2) and a regression-derived equation(3), indicates that ethane is not expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment(SRC). Volatilization from water surfaces is expected(4) based upon an estimated Henry's Law constant of 0.5 atm-cu m/mole(SRC), derived from its vapor pressure, 3.15X10+4 mm Hg(5), and water solubility, 60.2 mg/L(6). Using this Henry's Law constant and an estimation method(4), volatilization half-lives for a model river and model lake are 1.6 hours and 2.2 days, respectively(SRC). According to a classification scheme(7), an estimated BCF of 7.3(SRC), from its log Kow(2) and a regression-derived equation(3), suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC). Ethane is not expected to undergo hydrolysis in the environment due to the lack of functional groups that hydrolyze under environmental conditions(4). Ethane was oxidized to ethanol in lake water and soil within 24 hours using cell suspensions from over 20 methyltrophic organisms(8,9). This suggests that biodegradation may be an important fate process in the aquatic environment; however, ethane is a gas and therefore volatilization is expected to be the dominant fate process(SRC).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), ethane, which has a vapor pressure of 3.15X10+4 mm Hg at 25 °C(2), is expected to exist solely as a gas in the ambient atmosphere. Gas-phase ethane 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 60 days(SRC), calculated from its rate constant of 2.68X10-13 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C(3). Based on data for iso-octane and n-hexane, ethane is not expected to absorb UV light at wavelengths >290 nm(4) and, therefore, is not expected to be susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight(SRC).

AIR INTAKE: According to the National Ambient Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Database, the median urban atmospheric concn of ethane is 9.150 ppbV for 571 samples. Based upon this figure and the value for average daily inhalation by a human adult of 20 cu m of air, the average daily intake of ethane via air is 183 mg(1).

Suffocation.

ON CONTACT WITH LIQUID: FROSTBITE.

ON CONTACT WITH LIQUID: FROSTBITE.

Flue gases from a waste incinerator at Babylon, Long Island, NY were found to contain ethane at concentration generally less than 0.5 ppm(1). Ethane is also a product of gasoline(2-4), natural gas(4), and polyethylene(5) combustion. The average exhaust from 67 gasoline fueled vehicles was found to contain ethane at a concentration of 1.2% by weight of total hydrocarbon(3). Ethane from car exhaust ranged in concentration from 0.32 to 0.93 ppmV with an average for 8 samples of 0.53 ppmV(4). A Texaco refinery located in Tulsa, OK attributed emissions to the surrounding atmosphere where the ethane concentration was measured to be 33.8 and 73.5 ppbC for two minutes before and after 1:33PM(6). The ethane content of the air downwind of a Mobil natural gas facility in Rio Blanco, CO was 136.1 ppbC(6). Underwater hydrocarbon vent discharges from offshore oil production platforms were found to contain ethane concentration in the vapor phase at 2600 umol/L of gas(7). Gas-phase emissions from open burning of six fine (foliar) fuels, loblolly pine, western hemlock, ponderosa pine, mixed hardwood forest foliage litter, Florida palmetto/slash pine, and wiregrass/longleaf pine, contained ethane at rates of 505.6, 338.2, 500.3, 334.3, 315.0, and 259.5 mg/kg of biomass burned, respectively(8).

Ethane was detected in the gas phase of a Los Angeles tunnel at 119 mg/L(1). Ethane was detected in a tunnel in Antwerp, Belgium at a concentration of 166 ug/cu m(2), which is about 5 times greater than the background ethane levels of 30 ug/cu m(2). In a study of volatile organic contaminants in tunnels, ethane was found in the Cassiar tunnel in Vancouver in 1993 and 1995, as well as Tuscorora, Caldecott and Ft Mc Henry tunnels at concentrations of 0.92, 0.025, 0.93, 0.69 and 0.72 respectively(3). Ethane was released from cars driving in urban, suburban, rural and motor ways were observed as 26.25, 14.87, 11.16 and 10.65 mg/km(4). Ethane detections in exhaust had a mean concentration of 0.21 ppm(5). Ethane was detected with annual means of 1-2 ug/cu m in London background, 4 ug/cu m curbside and annual mean ranging from 4-25 ug/cu m in European cities(5). Ethane was detected at a median concentration of 21.4 ppbC from 1984-1986 in 39 US cities(6). In a study of reformulated gasoline in California, ethane, which accounted for 0% by weight of the gasoline, was found to account for 1.5% of nonmethane organic tunnel emissions(7).

Ethane accounted for 0.01, 0.01 and 0.02% of emissions from regular, mid-grade, and premium vehicle emissions, respectively, and 1.81 and 4.38% of the emissions from roadways and refineries, respectively(1). Ethane accounted for 0.86 and 0.01% of the emissions from regular summer blend gasoline in Atlanta and Chicago, respectively(1). Ethane accounted for 1.3 and 1.2% of the total VOC concentrations of low oxygenate and high oxygenate gasoline, respectively(2). In non-catalytic engines, ethane was released at concentrations of 13.27 and 12.6 mg/km for reference and reformulated fuels, respectively(3). In 3-way catalytic engines, ethane was released at concentrations 9.63 and 8.59 mg/km for reference and reformulated fuels, respectively(3). Ethane accounted for 3.1% vehicle emissions and 4.8% petroleum refineries(4). The MS Aurora and Stena Danica ferries operating in the Skagerak-Kattegatt-Oresund region of Sweden, release ethane at a concentration of <0.6 mg/cu nm dry weight(5).

The Koc of ethane is estimated as 37(SRC), using a log Kow of 1.81(1) and a regression-derived equation(2). According to a classification scheme(3), this estimated Koc value suggests that ethane is expected to have very high mobility in soil.

URBAN/SUBURBAN: The average ethane concentration for 2 samples per 4 sites in Tulsa, OK was 19.2 ppbC with a range of 2.3 to 73.5 ppbC(1). The ethane concentrations for 6 sites in Rio Blanco, CO averaged 27.0 ppbC with a range from 4.6 to 136.1(1). Ethane was detected in 20 of 20 air samples from Houston, TX ranging in concentration from 13.8 to 751.8 ppm with an average of 124.2 ppm(2). The arithmetic and geometric means were 54.2 and 44.2 ppbC, respectively, for the atmospheric ethane content at urban locations in New England(3). The ground level atmospheric concentration of ethane at 13:25 was 79 ppb and 406 ppb at 08:00 for Huntington Park, CA(4). At 1500 ft the ethane concentration was 43 ppb at 07:43 and at 08:07 at a height of 2,200 ft the ethane concentration was 39 ppb(4). The ethane concentration ranged from 32 to 221 ppbV at a downtown Los Angeles location during the Fall of 1981(5). The ethane concentration at 1100 ft just east of Antioch, CA was 11.5 ug/cu m, at 1000 ft near Pittsburg, CA was 7.0 ug/cu m, at 1100 ft over Carquinez Strait, CA was 5.5 ug/cu m and at 1000 ft over San Pablo Bay, CA was 4.0 ug/ cu m(6). Ethane was detected in Atlanta, GA in 1992 with an average concentration of 101.1 ppb(7). The ethane concentrations were 3.5, 3.0, and 2.5 ug/cu m at 10, 15, and 40 miles downwind of Janesville, WI on August 14, 1978(8). According to the National Ambient Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Database, the median urban and suburban atmospheric concentrations of ethane were 9.150 ppbV for 571 samples and 15.780 ppbV for 226 samples,respectively(9).

URBAN/SUBURBAN: Ethane was detected in the atmospheres of Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa(1). Ethane was identified in the ambient air of Sydney, Australia(2) ranging in concentration from 0.8 to 42.4 ppbV with an average concentration of 9.4 ppbV(3). Ethane was detected at an average concentration of 124.9 ppbC in the atmosphere over the British Columbia Research Council Laboratory at the University of British Columbia(4). The average ethane concentration in the air over Tokyo, Japan in 1980 and 1981 were 2.7 and 2.4 ppb for 66 and 192 samples, respectively(5). At Deuselbach, Hunsruck in Germany, the atmospheric ethane concentration was 1.55 ppb for October 23 1983(6). The minimum, maximum and average ethane concentrations in the ambient air of Bombay, India were 1.4, 355.7 and 26.7 ppb, respectively(7). Ethane was detected in urban Australia at a concentration of 7.5 ppb(8). In 1990 ethane comprised 1.68% of UK volatile emissions based on mass(9). Ethane was detected in Tapei, Taiwan, Chicago, IL and Osaka, Japan at concentrations of 8.3, 6.4 and 24.3 ppbV, respectively(10). Ethane was detected in 100% of the urban areas tested with a mean concentration of 5.37 ppb(11). Ethane was detected in rural (Fohnau), residential (Nansen Strasse) and street (Frankfurter Alee) sites in Berlin, Germany at concentrations of 2.59, 4.87 and 7.11 ug cu m, respectively(12). Ethane was detected in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at median concentrations 10.13 and 11.66 ug/cu m in downtown and industrial areas, respectively(13). Ethane was detected in Vienna, Austria (1988), Sydney, Australia (1982), Chicago, IL (1989) and Osaka, Japan (1993) in average concentrations of 28.3, 7.5, 6.4 and 24.3 ppbV, respectively(14).

/SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ Ethane is considered to be physiologically and toxicologically inert. At high concn, ethane acts primarily as a simple asphyxiant by displacing oxygen from the blood and air. Oxygen deprivation and asphyxiation eventually lead to unconsciousness and death.

/SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ Skin /and/ Eyes ON CONTACT WITH /ethane/ LIQUID: FROSTBITE.

/SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ On loss of containment ... /ethane/ can cause suffocation by lowering the oxygen content of the air in confined areas ... Rapid evaporation ... may cause frostbite ... ...

/OTHER TOXICITY INFORMATION/ From a toxicologic standpoint, methane and ethane are of low anesthetic potency and are practically inert; however, at very high concentrations, they act as a simple asphyxiant and can cause suffocation by displacement of oxygen from breathing atmosphere, below the critical level of 16% oxygen that is required to sustain life.

Ethane's production and use as a compound in the manufacture of ethylene by high-temperature thermal cracking; as a feedstock in the production of vinyl chloride; in the synthesis of chlorinated hydrocarbons; as a refrigerant; and as a component of fuel gas (so-called bottled gas or suburban propane)(1) may result in its release to the environment through various waste streams(SRC). Emissions from the combustion of gasoline(2-4), foliar fuels(5), polyethylene(6), and waste incinerators(7) may also contribute to its direct release into the environment.

Typical ethane emissions were as follows: diesel engine: 1.8% of emitted hydrocarbons; reciprocating engine: 2.0% of emitted hydrocarbons; rotary gasoline engine: 1.3% of emitted hydrocarbons; expected ground level concentration in USA urban air: 0.05-0.50 ppm; in flue gas of municipal incinerator: < 0.4-0.5 ppm; in gasoline engine exhaust: 1.8% of emitted hydrocarbons(1). Flue gases from a waste incinerator were found to contain ethane at concentrations generally less than 0.5 ppm(2). Ethane was detected at <3 ug/L in dissolved gases from a former landfill(3).

Anaerobic transformations of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), 1,1-dichloroethane (DCA), and chloroethane (CA) were studied with sludge from a lab-scale, municipal wastewater sludge digester. TCA was biologically transformed to DCA and CA and further to ethane by reductive dechlorination. TCA was also converted to acetic acid and 1,1-dichloroethene (11DCE) by cell-free extract. 11DCE was further biologically converted to ethene. This pathway was confirmed by transformation tests of TCA, DCA and CA, by tests with cell-free extract, and by chloride release during TCA degradation. With cell-free extract, acetic acid accounted for approximately 90% of the TCA transformed; tests with live cells indicate that the fraction of TCA transformed by this pathway decreased with lower biomass. The dechlorination of DCA to CA and CA to ethane was not stoichiometric. A high rate of TCA removal was observed under the experimental conditions. The results indicate that removal of TCA in anaerobic digestion should be complete, but DCA and CA could persist in a normally operating digester.

AEROBIC: Within 24 hr, ethane was oxidized to its corresponding alcohol, ethanol, by cell suspensions of over 20 methyltrophic organisms isolated from lake water and soil samples(1,2). The respective gas exchange and degradation rate constants were 0.83X10-5 sq cm sec-1 and 0.027 day-1 for ethane contained in a model estuarine ecosystem at 10 °C and a salinity of 30 parts per thousand; the corresponding biodegradation half-life was greater than 87 days(3). At 20 °C and a salinity of 30, the respective gas exchange and degradation rate constants were 1.132X10-5 sq cm sec-1 and 0.062 day-1; the corresponding biodegradation half life for n-ethane ranged from 21 to 33 days(3).

Ethane

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Flammable chemical that can be released at a facility.