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Data bank of environmental chemicals     |     The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
 


29.3.2024

Data bank of environmental properties of chemicals


Chemical
Maleic anhydride
CAS-number :
108-31-6
 
Synonyms :
2,5-furandioni
cis-butenedioic anhydride
dihydro-2,5-dioxofuran
maleic acid anhydride.
Maleiinianhydridi
 
Sumformula of the chemical :
C4H2O3
EINECS-number :
2035716
 
Molecular weight :
98.06
 
Vapor pressure, mmHg :
0.41  at 25°C, Daubert & Danner 1985
 
Melting point, °C :
52.8  Howard 1989
52.7  52.7-52.8, MITI 1992
 
Boiling point, °C :
202  Howard 1989
202.2  MITI 1992
 
Volatilization :
Maleic anhydride should not volatilize appreciable from water or
moist soil due to its rapid hydrolysis. 
Volatilization from
dry soil or surfaces should be slow due to its relatively low
vapor pressure (Howard 1989).
 
Other physicochemical properties :
Decomposes. 
(Weast 1986)
 
Photochemical degradation in air :
Although maleic anhydride absorbs UV radiation above 290 nm, no
irformation could be found concerning its photolysis
(Howard 1989).

Maleic anhydride readly reacts with ozone and hydroxyl radicals
in the atmosphere, estimated atmospheric half-life is 1.7 hr
(Cupitt 1980).
 
Other reactions in atmosphere :
In the vapor phase hydrolysis is completed in 21 hr at 96%
relative humadity, while no hydrolysis occurs at 50% relative
humidity (Rosenfeld & Murphy 1967).

Maleic anhydride readly reacts with ozone and hydroxyl radicals
in the atmosphere, estimated atmospheric half-life is 1.7 hr
(Cupitt 1980).
 
Hydrolysis in water :
Maleic anhydride hydolyzes rapidly in water at room temperature
to give maleic acid (half-life 0.37 min, at 25°C in initially
neutral solution) (Bunton et al. 1963).
 
Total degradation in water :
Biodegradation:
55% by BOD (on the upward trend)
period: 14d
substance: 100 mg/l
sludge: 30 mg/l
(MITI 1992)
 
Ready biodegradability :
Confirmed to be biodegradable (Anon. 1987).
 
Other information of degradation :
It was obtained 68.9 and 74.0% theoretical BOD in fresh and
salt water, respectively (Takemoto et al. 1981).

It was reported that 99% removal was achieved in 4 hr by
activated sludge (Matsui 1975).

It was reported that 40 - 60 % theoretical BOD in 5 days with
sewage inoculum (Heukelekian & Rand 1955) (Verschueren 1983).

Maleic anhydride has been characterized as biodegradable during
biological sewage treatment (Thom & Agg 1975).
 
LC50 values to fishes, mg/l :
235  96hr, Gambusia affinis, Jones 1971
  --
150  24hr, Lepomis macrochirus
  Turnbull et al. 1954

References
1848Anon. 1987a. The list of the existing chemical substances tested on biodegradability by microorganisms or bioaccumulation in fish body by Chemicals Inspection & Testing Institute. Ministry of International Trade and Industry, MITI. Japan.
3076Bunton, C. A. et al. 1963. J. Chem. Soc. 1963: 2918 - 2926.
2994Daubert, T. E. and Danner, R. P. 1985. Data Compilation Tables of Properties of Pure Compounds. pp 450. American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
2965Heukelekian, H. and Rand, M. C. 1955. J Water Pollut Control Assoc. 29: 1040 - 1053.
3047Howard, P. H. 1989. Handbook of Environmental Fate and Exposure Data for Organic Chemicals. Vol. I: Large Production and Priority Pollutants. Lewis Publishers, Inc. Chelsea. pp 574.
675Jones, H.R. 1971. Environmental control in the organic and petrochemical industries. Noyes Data Corporation 1971.
3072Kopcynski, S. L. et al. 1972. Environ. Sci Technol. 6: 342.
3051Matsui, S. et al. 1975. Prog. Water Technol. 7: 645 - 659.
3105MITI 1992. Biodegradation and bioaccumulation data of existing chemicals based on the CSCL Japan. Compild under the Safety Division Basic Industries Bureau Ministry of International Trade & Industry, Japan. Edited by Chemicals Inspection & Testing Institute, Japan.
3077Rosenfeld, J. M. & Murphy, C. B. 1967. Talenta 14: 91.
2967Takemoto, S. et al. 1981. Suishitsu Okadu Kenkyu 4: 80 - 90.
1440Turnbull, H., DeMann, J.H. & Weston, R.F. 1954. Toxicity of various refinery materials to fresh water fish. Ind. Eng. Chem. 46(2): 324 - 333.
1468Verschueren, K. 1983. Handbook of environmental data of organic chemicals. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. Inc., New York. 1310 s.
3078Weast, R. C. 1986. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 67th ed.

 
 
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