CAS number
- 79-34-5
Molecular formula
- C2H2Cl4
Formula weight
- 167.8 g/mol
Family
- Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAH)
Compound properties list|
| Melting/boiling point | -36 °C / 146 °C | Liquid |
| Relative density | 1.58 g/cm3 | Sinks in water |
| Vapour pressure | 6 mm Hg | Moderately volatile |
| Vapour density | 5.8 | Denser than air |
| Solubility in water | 3,000 mg/L | Moderately soluble |
| Henry's law constant | 4 x 10-4 atm·m3/mol | Moderate volatilization when dissolved |
| log Koc (Depending on soil or sediment characteristics) | | Moderate adsorption to organic matter |
At 20 0C, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane is a liquid denser than water and moderately volatile.
Characterized by moderate solubility, it will volatilize moderately once dissolved and adsorbs
moderately to organic matter. During a spill, this compound will partially evaporate but may
primarily enter into the soil or migrate into a waterway. Once it encounters water (surface or
subsurface), 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane will dissolve or sink until it reaches an impermeable
surface. The liquid 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane that accumulates in a saturated zone will gradually
dissolve before volatilizing. The adsorbed phase in the vadose and saturated zones will take a while
to disappear, liberating contamination in either the gaseous or dissolved state. The resulting
dissolved plume will be relatively large in size while the gaseous plume will be relatively limited
in size.
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane should be handled with care as it is toxic.
Commercial production of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, as an end-product, has ceased in
both the United States and Canada (Canada in 1985). Any current production of
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane is not sold but used as an intermediate in the production of a variety of
other common chemicals such as 1,1,1-and 1,1,2-trichloroethane. Therefore, trace amounts of
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane may be introduced into the environment.
In the past, the major use for 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane was in the production of
trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene and 1,2-dichloroethene. It was also used as a solvent, in
cleaning and degreasing metals, in paint removers, in varnishes and lacquers, in photographic films,
for chlorinated rubber, and as an extractant for oils and fats. At one time it was used as an
insecticide, fumigant and weed killer, though it is presently not registered for any of these
purposes. With the availability of less toxic solvents and the development of new processes for
manufacturing chlorinated ethenes, the manufacture of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane has steadily
declined over time.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2008. Toxicological
Profile for 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public
Health Service, Georgia, USA. (Viewed March 2010).
Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. 1999. Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for
the Protection of Aquatic Life: Chlorinated Ethanes. In: Canadian Environmental Quality
Guidelines. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Manitoba, Canada.
(Viewed March 2010).
Montgomery, John H. 2007. Groundwater Chemicals, Desk Reference, Fourth Edition, CRC Press,
Taylor and Francis Group, Florida, USA.
