CAS number
- 107-06-2
Molecular formula
- C2H4Cl2
Formula weight
- 99 g/mol
Family
- Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAH)
Compound properties list|
| Melting/boiling point | -35 °C / 83 °C | Liquid |
| Relative density | 1.24 g/cm3 | Sinks in water |
| Vapour pressure | 80 mm Hg | Very volatile |
| Vapour density | 3.4 | Denser than air |
| Solubility in water | 8,500 mg/L | Moderately soluble |
| Henry's law constant | 1 x 10-3 atm·m3/mol | Rapid volatilization when dissolved |
| log Koc (Depending on soil or sediment characteristics) | 1.3 - 1.8* | Moderate adsorption to organic matter |
At 20 0C, 1,2-dichloroethane is a liquid denser than water and very volatile. Characterized
by moderate solubility, it will volatilize rapidly once dissolved and adsorbs moderately to organic
matter. During a spill, this compound will primarily evaporate but may also enter into the soil or
migrate into a waterway. Once it encounters water (surface or subsurface), the 1,2-dichloroethane
will dissolve or sink until it reaches an impermeable surface. The liquid 1,2-dichloroethane that
accumulates in a saturated zone will gradually dissolve before volatilization occurs. The adsorbed
1,2-dichloroethane in the vadose and saturated zones will rapidly disappear, liberating
contamination in either the gaseous or dissolved state. The resulting plumes (gaseous or dissolved) will be relatively large in size.
1,2-Dichloroethane should be handled with care as it is toxic and flammable.
1,2-Dichloroethane is not found naturally in the environment. Although large amounts of
1,2-dichloroethane are produced industrially, most of it is used to make other chemical products.
The most common use of 1,2-dichloroethane is in the manufacture of vinyl chloride, which is almost
entirely used to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Smaller amounts of 1,2-dichloroethane are used in
the synthesis of vinylidene chloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene,
acetyl cellulose, aziridines, ethylene diamines, and in chlorinated solvents.
1,2-Dichloroethane is also used as a solvent and was added to leaded gasoline as an antiknock
additive. In the past, it was also found in small amounts in products used to clean textiles, remove
grease from metal, and break down oils, fats, waxes, resins and rubber. In the household,
1,2-dichloroethane was formerly a component of some cleaning solutions and pesticides, adhesives for
wallpaper or carpeting, as well as paint, varnish and finish removers. It was also used as a grain
and soil fumigant.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2001. Toxicological
Profile for 1,2-dichloroethane. 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.
