CAS number
- 75-34-3
Molecular formula
- C2H4Cl2
Formula weight
- 99 g/mol
Family
- Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAH)
Compound properties list|
| Melting/boiling point | -97 °C / 57 °C | Liquid |
| Relative density | 1.17 g/cm3 | Sinks in water |
| Vapour pressure | 220 mm Hg | Very volatile |
| Vapour density | 3.4 | Denser than air |
| Solubility in water | 5,000 mg/L | Moderately soluble |
| Henry's law constant | 5 x 10-3 atm·m3/mol | Rapid volatilization when dissolved |
| log Koc (Depending on soil or sediment characteristics) | 1.5 - 1.8* | Moderate adsorption to organic matter |
At 20 0C, 1,1-dichloroethane is a liquid denser than water and very volatile. Characterized
by moderate solubility, it will volatilize rapidly once dissolved and adsorb moderately to organic
matter. During a spill, this compound will partially evaporate but may also enter into the soil or
migrate into a waterway. Once it encounters water (surface or subsurface), the 1,1-dichloroethane
will dissolve or sink until it reaches an impermeable surface. The liquid 1,1-dichloroethane that
accumulates in a saturated zone will gradually dissolve before volatilization occurs. The adsorbed
1,1-dichloroethane in the vadose and saturated zones will disappear rapidly, liberating
contamination in either the gaseous or dissolved state. The resulting plumes (gaseous or dissolved)
will be relatively large in size.
1,1-Dichloroethane should be handled with care as it is flammable.
l,l-Dichloroethane is produced commercially through different processes and its primary
use is as an intermediate in the manufacture of l,l,l-trichloroethane. It is also an intermediate in
the manufacture of other products such as vinyl chloride, and to a lesser extent high vacuum rubber.
It also has limited use as a solvent for plastics, oils and fats, and thus is employed as both a
cleaning agent and a degreaser. Other uses of l,l-dichloroethane include fabric spreading, varnish
and finish removers, organic synthesis, ore flotation, and as a fumigant and insecticide spray.
1,1-Dichloroethane can also be found in the environment as a breakdown product of
1,1,1-trichloroethane.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 1990. Toxicological
Profile for 1,1-Dichloroethane. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service, Georgia, USA. (Viewed March 2010)
Montgomery, John H. 2007. Groundwater Chemicals, Desk Reference, Fourth Edition, CRC
Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Florida, USA.
