4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane

101-77-9

2,4'-methyleneaniline: 4 %, technical grade.

In preparation of isocyanates and polyisocyanates; an epoxy
hardening agent: a raw material in the production of
polyurethane elastomers; in the rubber industry; a curative for
neoprene; an anti-frosting agent (anti-oxidant) in footwear; a raw
material in the preparation of poly(amide-imide)resins
(used in magnet wire enamels)

Colourless to yellowish crytalline powder with a faint 
amine-like odour.

198.26

The major releases of MDA occur into the hydosphere. 
With a 
Henry's Law constant of 4.4x10-7 Paxm3xmol-1 no significant 
volatilisation from water is expected (EU RA Report 2001).

The Koc values were determined to 4848 l/kg after 8 hours and 
7041 l/kg after 7 days for aerobic conditions. 
The values for 
anaerobic conditions are 3828 l/kg and 10729 l/kg for 8 hours 
and 7 days, respectively (EU RA Report 2001).

Photooxidation half-life in air:
2.7hr - 0.27hr, based upon estimated rate constant for reaction
with hydroxyl radicals in air (Howard 1991).

In the test on photochemical-oxidative degradation in the 
atmosphere the reaction constant with OH-radicals was 
determined, from this a half-life of 12.8 hours can be 
calculated (OH = 5x10+5 molec/cm3) (EU RA Report 2001).

Photooxidation half-life in water:
145d - 2.6d, scientific judgement based upon estimated rae 
constants for reactions of representative aromatic amines with  
·OH and RO2· (Howard 1991).

Aerobic half-life:
7d - 1d, scientific judgement based upon aqueous screening test
data for toluidines (Howard 1991).

MDA is not readily biodegradable. 
The tree tests on ready 
biodegradation (OECD 301 B and 301 C) indicate 0 to 19% 
degradation after 28 days. 
The substance conc. of 10, 20 and 
100 mg/l could not have inhibiting activity on the microbial 
population, since the EC50 for activated sludge was determined 
to >100 mg/l (EURA Report 2001).

A modified MITI-II-Test (OECD 302 C) with activated sludge from 
predominantly municipal source indicates 43% degradation after 
28 days. 
The used substance concentration of 30 mg/l was too 
low to have inhibiting activity on the microbial population (EU 
RA Report 2001).

A degradation test with activated sludge from an industrial 
waste treatment plant (OECD 302 B, Inherent biodegradability,
Modified Zahn-Wellens Test) indicates 95% degradation after 14 
days and 97% after 21 days. 
The substance conc. in this test 
was 389 mg/l. 
This study is comfirmed by another 
Zahn-Wellens_test (OECD 302 B) performed also under the use of 
activated sludge from industrial wwtp. 
The results of this test 
indicates >70% degradation after 3 days (EU RA Report 2001).

A Coupled Units Test (OECD 303 A) with activated sludge 
produced from a mixed inoculum (secondary effluent, Rhine-water 
suspension of garden soil) with an adaption phase of 25 days 
indicate only 6.5% biodegradation after 34 days (EU RA Report 
2001).

Anaerobic half-life:
28d - 4d, scientific judgement based upon estimated 
unacclimated aqueous aerobic biodegradation half-life (Howard 
1991).

The microbial degradation of MDA in soil was investigated under 
aerobic and anaerobic conditions using carbon 14C labeled MDA. 

The results show, biodegradation started immediatly after 
mixing with the aerobic soil. 
The test indicated biodegradtion 
of 2.9% after 3 days, 9.1% after 7 days and 11.6% after 56 
days. 
During the latter period of the incubation some of the 
14CO2 was lost, so the results for 210 and 365 days must be 
rejected. 
The degradation rates after 7 and 56 days indivate 
that biodegradation is disrupted after MDA had formed covalent 
bounds with humic substances. 
From the remaininng results it si 
not possible to calculate a half-life, but it can assumed that 
MDA covalently bound to organic matter is degraded almost 
similar to the humic acids themselves. 
Analogously to the 
invesstigations for 3,4-dichloroaniline, a mean half-life of 
1000 days can be assumed. 
Under anaerobic methanogen conditions
no 14CH4 or 14 CO2 was recovered after 73 days of incubation
(EU RA Report 2001).

Biodegradation:
0% by BOD
period: 28d
substance: 100 mg/l
sludge: 30 mg/l
(MITI 1992)

16 rats: 4-5 doses of 20 mg DDM by stomach tube over 8 months:
after 18 months: 1 rat developed a hepatoma and a
heamangioma-like tumor of the kidney
after 24 months: 1 rat showed an adenocarcinoma of the uterus
50 rats: 50 % developed tumors (4 hepatomas) compared with 26 % of
a control group
50 rat: 50 % developed tumors (4 hepatomas) compared with 26 % of
a control group
48 rats: intragastric doses 5 times weekly: all developed liver
cirrhosis, four developed hepatomas (2 benign) and others
miscellaneous tumors. 
(Verschueren 1983)

Hepatotoxic in humans: no reported human cancers.

(Verschueren 1983)

Einenia fetida:
LC50, 444.0 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, weight increase
NOEC, 32.0 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, weight increase
NOEC, 56 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, behavior and appearance
(EU RA Report 2001).

Avena sativa:
NOEC, 320.0 mg/kg dw soil, 17 d, emergence
EC50, 353.0 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, growth
NOEC, 100.0 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, growth
NOEC, >=1000 mg/l dw soil, 14 d, survival
Lactuca sativa:
NOEC, 100.0 mg/kg dw soil, 17 d, emergence
EC50, 128.0 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, growth
NOEC, 10.0 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, growth
NOEC, >=1000 mg/kg dw soil, 14 d, survival
(EU RA Report 2001).

Pseudomonas: toxic: 15 mg/l (Meinck et al. 1970).

EC50, 6.6 mg/l, 30 min, inhibition, Photobacterium phosphoreum
TGK, >=15.0 mg/l, 16 hr, inhibition of glucose degradation, 
Pseudomonas fluorescens
EC0, >=100.0 mg/l, 10 d, growth, Escherichia coli
EC50, >100 mg/l, 3 hr, inhibition of respiration, activated 
sludge, OECD 209 (EU RA Report 2001).

Scenedesmus: toxic: 30 mg/l
Colpoda: toxic: 124 mg/l
Daphnia: toxic: 0.25 mg/l
(Meinck et al. 1970)