Toluene

108-88-3

Manufacturing of benzene derivates, caprolactam dyes, TNT;
solvent recovery plants, component of gasoline; active
ingredient in fungicides.

Colourless liquid.

Aromatic odour. 
Odour detectable at 0.17 - 1.74 ppm in air
(Sax 1986).

Lower odour threshold; 0.25 ppm (Sax 1986).

Quality: sour, burnt
Hedonic tone: unpleasant to neutral
Threshold odour concentration
absolute: 0.17 ppm
50 % recognition: 1.74 ppm
100 % recognition: 1.74 ppm
Odour index 100 % recognition: 16 609
(Hellman & Small 1974).

92.15

Relative volatility (nBuAc=1) = 2.0

Equilibrium distribution:
         mass %
air     99.34
water    0.62
solid    0.04
(Anon 1988)

Photooxidation half-life in air:
4.3d - 10hr, based upon measured rate data for the vapor phase 
reaction with hydroxyl radicals in air (Howard 1991).

Photooxidation half-life in water:
54d - 13d, based upon measured rate data for hydroxyl radicals
in aqueous solution (Howard 1991).

Aerobic half-life:
22d - 4d, scientific judgement based upon an acclimated sea 
water die-away test (Howard 1991).

Anaerobic half-life:
30w - 8w, scientific judgement based upon anaerobic sediment
grab sample data and anaerobic screening testa data
(Howard 1991).

Biodegradation:
112-129% by BOD
period: 14d
substance: 100 mg/l
sludge: 30 mg/l
(MITI 1992)

Confirmed to be biodegradable (Anon. 1987).

Biodegrades with acclimated seed. 
Half-life is less than
saturated solution (top meter) is 30.6 M as a result of
evaporation. 70 % evaporates with first 0.01 % of water. 
Sewage
seed has no effect (Sax 1986).

Degradation of toluene:
*--------------------------------------------------------------*
ENVIRONMENT  INIT.CONC  REDOX-     TEMP   DEGRADATION REFERENCE
             mg/l       COND.      °C      %/day
*--------------------------------------------------------------*
water          5         aerobic    25     100/7        a
water         10         aerobic    25     100/7        a
water          0.205     aerobic    -       95/17       b
groundwater    0.002     aerobic    13     100/8        c
groundwater   10         aerobic    10     100/10       d
groundwater    0.40      aerobic  10 - 13   90/1        e
groundwater    0.69      aerobic  10 - 13   91/2        e
groundwater    0.61      aerobic  10 - 13  100/3        e
groundwater    0.58      aerobic  10 - 13  100/5        e
sludge   appr. 50        anaerobic   35      0/56       f
sludge   appr. 50        anaerobic   35      0/56       f
soil           0.547     methanogen  17     87/42       g
soil           0.547     methanogen  17    >99/840      g
sterile soil   0.547     methanogen  17      0/280      g
sterile soil   0.547     methanogen  17     33/840      g
*--------------------------------------------------------------*
a) Tabak et al. 1981          e) Jensen et al. 1985
b) Batterman 1984             f) Horowitz et al. 1982
c) Jamison et al. 1976        g) Wilson et al. 1986
d) Kappeler & Whurman 1978    (Anon. 1987b).

200 - 500 ppm may cause headache, nausea and giddiness. -

Irritation to rabbit belly grade 4, some capillary injection
diluted; no warning properties. 
Eye irritation grade 6, severe
burn from > 0.005 ml. -  
Narcotic in high concentrations. 8 hr
exposure to 200 ppm may cause impairment of coordination and
reaction time (Sax 1986).

Moderately toxic when ingested or inhaled. 
Slightly hazardous
when absorbed through skin (Sax 1986).

Skin and eye irritation data:
eye, hmn, 300 ppm;
skn, rbt, 435 mg, mild;
skn, rbt, 500 mg, moderate;
eye, rbt, 0.870 mg, mild;
eye, rbt, 2 mg, 24 hr, severe;
eye, rbt, 100 mg/30S rns, mild
(Sax 1986).

Mutagen data:
dns, esc, 1 pph;
dns, omi, 1 pph, 15M-C;
cyt, smc, 2.4 mmol/tube;
oms, grn, ihl, 562 mg/l;
dnd, rat, lvr, 0.030 mmol/l;
cyt, rat, ihl, 5.4 mg/m3, 16E-I;
cyt, rat, scu, 12 g/kg, 12D-I;
mnt, mus, orl 137600 mg/kg 
(Sax 1986).

LDLo, scu, frog, 920 mg/kg (Sax 1986).

Toluene had a significant germination effect on corn and
soybeans seeds at 2000 ppm (dry soil basis) (Overcash et al.
1982).

Toxicity threshold (cell multiplication inhibition test):
bacteria (Pseudomonas putida): 29 mg/l.

(Bringmann & Kühn 1980a).

> 0.05 % inhibited sewage sludge digestion (Sax 1986).

Tilapia mossambica, 45 mg/l, 4 d, change in enzyme activity
(Dange 1986).

61 mg/l, 1 hr, sunfish, lethal;
120 mg/l, Scenedesmus, inhibitor;
10 mg/l, Macrocystis pyrifera, inhibitory;
60 mg/l, Daphnia, threshold;
22 - 65 mg/l, 1 hr, sunfish, lethal;
10 mg/l, Giant kelp, red photosynthesis;
1 mg/l, mussel, no lethal effect (Sax 1986).

Toxicity threshold (cell multiplication inhibition test):
green algae (Scenedesmus quadricauda): >400 mg/l
protozoa (Entosiphon sulcatum): 456 mg/l
(Bringmann & Kühn 1980a).

Emits toxic vapours when heated. 
May contain toxic benzene
impurities. 
May produce BOD. 
Moderately toxic to fish (Sax
1986).

Air pollution high (Sax 1986).

Toluene can be oxidized in air to form phenol, but the reaction
generally requires catalysis (Sax 1986).