Benzo(k)fluoranthene

207-08-9

Colourless needles.

252.32

Evaporation of lower-molecular-weight PAH's may be significant
only in a clear, rapidly flowing shallow stream (Sax 1986).

Movement via sediment is an important transport process.

An exchange equilibrium exists in natural water systems between
absorbed and soluble PAHs. 
Although the particulate form is
favored, a significant fraction of the PAH will be dissolved
except in systems that are very heavily contaminated by PAHs. -
It requires 18 mg granular activated carbon per litre to reduce
the concentration of benzo(k)fluoranthene from 1.0 to 0.1 ppm
at pH 7.1 (Sax 1986).

The most common photooxidation product in solution is an endo
peroxide. 
Dealkylation, ring cleavage, and other reactions
ensue following photolysis or pyrolysis of these peroxides.

Frequently, only quinones are isolable. 
Phodimers may result in
some cases. 
Absorbed PAHs are more reactive than in solution
(Sax 1986).

Photolysis half-life in air:
499hr - 3.8hr, scientific judgement based upon measured rate of
photolysis in heptane under November sunlight (high t1/2) and
the above data adjusted by ratio of sunlight photolysis
half-lives for benz(a)anthracene in water vs. heptane (low
t1/2).

Photooxidation half-life in air:
11.0hr - 1.10hr, scientific judgement based upon estimated rate
constant for reaction with hydroxyl radical in air (Howard 
1991).

Photolysis in an aquatic environment may be an important fate
process, especially for the dissolved portion (Sax 1986).

Aquatic photolysis half-life:
499hr - 3.8hr, scientific judgement based upon measured rate of
photolysis in heptane under November sunlight (high t1/2) and
the above data adjusted by ratio of sunlight photolysis
half-lives for benz(a)anthracene in water vs. heptane (low
t1/2) (Howard 1991).

Hydrolysis is not significant (Sax 1986).

Ozone and chlorinating agents oxidize polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons to quinones, diacids, and nuclear and side-chain
oxidation products. 
Chlorinating agents also produce
chlorine-substituted derivatives. - 
Oxidation of any PAH by
chlorine and ozone, when used for the disinfection of drinking
water, forms quinones. 
The half-life for the reaction of
chlorine with all PAHs is less than 0.5 hr (Sax 1986).

Aerobic half-life:
5.86yr - 2.49yr, based upon aerobic soil die-away test data 
(Howard 1991).

Anaerobic half-life:
23.5yr -9.97yr, scientific judgement based upon estimated 
unacclimated aqueous aerobic biodegradation half-life (Howard 
1991).

PAHs deposited in sediments are less subject to photochemical or
biological oxidation, especially if the sediment is anoxic. 
Sedimentary PAH is therefore quite persistent and may
accumulate to high concentrations (Sax 1986).

Airborne particulate PAHs can persist at relatively high
concentrations in aerosols transported for long distances. 
The
atmosperic persistence is longer than would be predicted from
laboratory photooxidation studies. 
On the other hand, The
National Academy of Sciences (1972) proposed that the chemical
half-life of PAH's in the atmosphere may be limited to hours or
days (Sax 1986).

PAH's with fewer than 4 rings are degraded by microbes and are
readily metabolized by multicellular organisms. -

Biodegradation is probably the ultimate fate process for
benzo(k)fluoranthene (Sax 1986).

However, the concentrations of bacteria and fungi capable of
oxidizing hydrocarbons are extremely low in all but heavily
polluted fresh and marine waters. 
Most species cannot use PAHs
as a sole carbon source. 
Microbial oxidation of PAHs requires
oxygen and will not proceed in anoxic sediments or water (Sax
1986).

During a 7 day incubation period with a bacterial suspension of
1 - 2 ppm, an approximately 1 % emulsion of
benzo(k)fluoranthene was degraded 54 % (Sax 1986).

There are large differences among aquatic species in their
ability to absorb and assimilate PAH from food. 
Polychaete
worms have a very limited ability; fish show limited and
variable absorption from the gut; and crustaceans readily
assimilate PAH. 
Assimilated PAHs are metabolized and excreted
rapidly. 
For biomagnification to occur, a substance must be
relatively resistant to metabolism or exretion (Sax 1986).

In most cases PAHs are less bioavailable when complexed to
colloidal organic materials or adsorbed to organic or inorganic
particulated than when in solution or in fine dispersion in
water (Sax 1986).

Bioconcentration factor (other organisms):
28200, aquatic organisms containing 7.6 % lipids 
(Sax 1986).

Acute hazard level: PAH's can presumably be absorbed from
ingestion, inhalation, and in skin contact (Sax 1986).

Benzo(k)fluoranthene was rated not carcinogenic by the National
Academy of Sciences (Sax 1986).

Mutagen data:
mma, dat, 0.010 mg/plate (Sax 1986).

An 86 % overall reduction of the b, j, and k isomers from their
original total concentration in the river intake water of 0.147
ppb following the water purification steps of holding in
a reservoir, filtration and chlorination was found. -

Polychlorinated PAHs are probably highly toxic to aquatic
organisms and persistent in the environment as are
polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated naphthalenes.

Chlorination for purification of wastewaters or drinking waters
containing high concentrations of PAHs may be inadvisable.

Activated sludge treatment is unable to oxidize PAHs within
normal retention times (Sax 1986).

Lethal threshold concentration (LT50):
0.0014 mg/l, 0.54 days, Daphnia magna (Newsted & Giesy 1987).