2-Ethylhexyl Acetate

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.

SRP: The scientific literature for the use of contact lenses in industry is conflicting. The benefit or detrimental effects of wearing contact lenses depend not only upon the substance, but also on factors including the form of the substance, characteristics and duration of the exposure, the uses of other eye protection equipment, and the hygiene of the lenses. However, there may be individual substances whose irritating or corrosive properties are such that the wearing of contact lenses would be harmful to the eye. In those specific cases, contact lenses should not be worn. In any event, the usual eye protection equipment should be worn even when contact lenses are in place.

TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a recommended classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 2,500(SRC), determined from an estimated log Kow of 3.74(2,SRC) and a recommended regression-derived equation(3), indicates that 2-ethylhexyl acetate is expected to have slight mobility in soil(SRC). Volatilization of 2-ethylhexyl acetate is expected from moist soil surfaces(SRC) given its estimated Henry's Law constant of 1.5X10-3 atm-cu m/mole(SRC) using a fragment constant estimation method(4). Volatilization from dry soil surfaces is expected based on a vapor pressure of 0.23 mm Hg at 25 °C(5). Although no biodegradation studies have been performed on 2-ethylhexyl acetate, studies on structurally similar compounds(6-8) have shown that, in general, alkyl acetates are biodegradable(SRC).

AQUATIC FATE: Based on a recommended classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 2,500(SRC), determined from an estimated log Kow of 3.74(2) and a recommended regression-derived equation(3), indicates that 2-ethylhexyl acetate is expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment in water(SRC). 2-Ethylhexyl acetate is expected to volatilize from water surfaces(3,SRC) based on an estimated Henry's Law constant of 1.5X10-3 atm-cu m/mole(SRC) using a fragment constant estimation method(4). Estimated volatilization half-lives for a model river and model lake are 5 and 130, hours respectively(4,SRC). According to a classification scheme(5), an estimated BCF value of 400(3,SRC), from its log Kow(2), suggests that bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is high(SRC). Hydrolysis is expected to occur slowly based upon estimated hydrolysis half-lives of 3 years and 122 days at pH 7 and 8 respectively(6,SRC). Although no biodegradation studies have been performed on 2-ethylhexyl acetate, studies on structurally similar compounds(7-9) have shown that, in general, alkyl acetates are biodegradable(SRC).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), 2-ethylhexyl acetate, which has a vapor pressure of 0.23 mm Hg at 25 °C(2), is expected to exist solely as a vapor in the ambient atmosphere. Vapor-phase 2-ethylhexyl 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 about 35 hours(3,SRC).

The Koc of 2-ethylhexyl acetate is estimated as approximately 2,500(SRC), using an estimated log Kow of 3.74(1) and a regression-derived equation(2,SRC). According to a recommended classification scheme(3), this estimated Koc value suggests that 2-ethylhexyl acetate is expected to have slight mobility in soil(SRC).

2-Ethylhexyl acetate's production and use as a solvent for nitrocellulose, resins and lacquers may lead to its release to the environment through various waste streams(1,SRC). In 1977, 1 million pounds of ethylhexyl acetate were produced in the United States(2). Ethylhexyl acetate has been used as a high boiling solvent used to promote flow and retard blushing in lacquers, emulsions, and silk screen inks, and as a flow control agent in baking enamels(3). It can also be used as a dispersant for vinyl organosols and as a coalescing agent for latex paints(3).

2-Ethylhexyl acetate's production and use as a solvent for nitrocellulose, resins and lacquers may lead to its release to the environment through various waste streams(1,SRC).

An estimated BCF value of 400 was calculated for 2-ethylhexyl acetate(SRC), using an estimated log Kow of 3.74(1) and a recommended regression-derived equation(2). According to a classification scheme(3), this BCF value suggests that bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is high(SRC).

The Henry's Law constant for 2-ethylhexyl acetate was estimated as 1.5X10-3 atm-cu m/mole(SRC) using a fragment constant estimation method(1). This value indicates that 2-ethylhexyl acetate will volatilize from water surfaces(2,SRC). Based on this Henry's Law constant, the volatilization half-life from a model river (1 m deep, flowing 1 m/sec, wind velocity of 3 m/sec) is estimated as approximately 5 hours(2,SRC). The 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 130 hours(2,SRC). 2-Ethylhexyl acetate's Henry's Law constant(1) indicates that volatilization from moist soil surfaces is expected(SRC). 2-Ethylhexyl acetate is expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces based on a vapor pressure of 0.23 mm Hg at 25 °C(3).

INHALATION OF CONCN VAPOR OF 2-ETHYLHEXYL ACETATE FOR DURATION OF 15 MIN WAS NONLETHAL TO RATS. /FROM TABLE/

... MODERATELY IRRITANT ... IT CAN BE FATAL WITH ORAL ADMIN BUT NOT BY INHALATION OF SATURATED AIR-VAPOR MIXTURES.

LETHAL DOSE ... BY SKIN ABSORPTION, FOR GUINEA PIGS, GREATER THAN 20,000 UG/L.

A study was conducted to assess ... the potential .. effects of ... octyl-acetate, particularly to assess its subchronic toxicity in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats during a 90 day gavage study. Rats were dosed once daily, 5 days per week for 13 weeks. Treated rats were given octyl-acetate at doses of 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 g/kg. The results indicated that a low degree of toxicity is associated with subchronic oral exposures. marginal effects on body wight and food consumption were noted in the high dose group. Increased liver weight and mild nephropathy were also noted in high dose animals. However, they were thought to be of minimal toxicological significance. No evidence of significant systemic toxicity was noted in the mid or low dose groups. The increase in liver weight sin the absence of any evidence of microscopic pathology suggested that this was not a true toxic event, but rather a compensatory response... The growth of the liver in these cases was seen as a response to an increased functional load. The authors conclude that a low degree of toxicity is associated with subchronic oral exposure to octyl-acetate.

The effects of in-utero exposure to octyl-acetate on fetal development were investigate in Sprague-Dawley rats. Females were mated and assigned to groups receiving oral doses of octyl-acetate in doses of 0, 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 g/kg of body weight. Maternal rats were monitored for body weight and food consumption. Animals were necropsied on gestational day 20, and fetuses were removed and examined. Maternal rats in the high dose group showed reduced body weight from the ninth gestational day to the end of the study period. Dose dependent reduction in food consumption was noted, especially during gestation days six to nine. No significant differences were found between treated and control animals in resorptions, or fetal weight, viability, or malformation. An increased incidence of fetal malformation observed in the high dose groups was significant in terms of proportion of rats from the litters in this group which were malformed, and the number of litters with at least one malformed fetus. ... in rats, octyl-acetate is maternally toxic, and that, although some fetal malformation as found at the 1.0 g/kg dose, it is not a developmental toxicant.

The rate constant for the vapor-phase reaction of 2-ethylhexyl acetate with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals has been estimated as 1.1X10-11 cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C(1). This corresponds to an atmospheric half-life of about 35 hours at an atmospheric concentration of 5X10+5 hydroxyl radicals per cu cm(1,SRC). A base-catalyzed second-order hydrolysis rate constant of 0.07 L/mol-sec(SRC) was estimated using a structure estimation method(2); this corresponds to half-lives of 3 years and 122 days at pH 7 and 8 respectively(2,SRC).