Alcohols, C12-14

Endpoint summary

Additional information

Probable Routes of Human Exposure:

 

Environmental exposure

 

Exposure could arise in association with production, formulation and industrial use of the substance. There would also be exposure from consumer uses.

The main uses of alcohols are as manufacturing intermediates for consumer products. Discharge of these products is expected to be primarily to water, through disposal to drain. 

 

Occupational Exposure: As a rule aliphatic alcohols are manufactured and processed in established chemical complexes in closed installations; these are usually operated at high temperature and pressure. At these sites standard personal protective equipment is routinely applied to prevent direct skin and eye contact. Generally, aliphatic alcohols are of a low volatility and as a rule engineering controls are available preventing the need for respiratory protection. For non-routine operations involving a break in enclosed systems a higher level of protection is applied. Operations with a potential for significant exposure require a permit to work system and a case-by-case assessment is made for appropriate protective measures. Exposure through the use of products in industry and commerce is mitigated by applying measures aimed to prevent direct skin and eye contact by following the recommendations in the material safety data sheet (MSDS).

 

Consumer Exposure: Aliphatic alcohols are formulated in consumer laundry, cleaning and personal care products. Product labels reflect the hazard potential of the chemical ingredients in these products and include first aid instructions in case of non-intentional exposure.

 

 

Monotoring data

 

Monitoring for Alcohols, C12-14 is not carried out at either the sites of manufacture or end-use.

 Monitoring is however carried out for Lauryl alcohol and Myristyl alcohol,which are considered to be the major hazard during manufacture, storage and use of Alcohols, C12-14.

 

Occupational exposure to Alcohols, C12-14 ( Lauryl alcohol and Myristyl alcohol) may occur through oral and dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where Alcohols, C12-14 is produced or used (SRC). Monitoring data indicate that the general population may be exposed to Alcohols, C12-14 via ingestion of food and kindred product containing Alcohols, C12-14 (SRC).

 

NIOSH (NOES Survey 1981-1983) has statistically estimated that 58 100 workers (20 007 of these are female) are potentially exposed to Lauryl alcohol in the US(1).Occupational exposure to Alcohols, C12-14 ( Lauryl alcohol and Myristyl alcohol) may occur through oral and dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where Alcohols, C12-14 is produced or used (SRC).

 NIOSH (NOES Survey 1981-1983) has statistically estimated that 4525 workers (1820 of these are female) are potentially exposed to Myristyl alcohol in the US(1).Occupational exposure to Alcohols, C12-14 ( Lauryl alcohol and Myristyl alcohol) may occur through oral and dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where Alcohols, C12-14 is produced or used (SRC).

Measured long chain alcohols in sewage treatment plant influents from monitoring studies in the US

Morrall et al. (2006) reported influent levels of long chain alcohols for 9 wastewater treatment plants across the United States and 3 additional plants were reported in MRI (2004). Influents ranged from 102.8 to 2332.6 µg/L (sum of C12-18 long chain aliphatic alcohols) and averaged 698.4 µg/L across all influents that were sampled ( Table A.). 

Individual chain lengths averaged 64.0 µg/L (C13) to 160.0 µg/L (C18).  When considering these data further, it should be clear that the analytical procedure includes both free and sorbed alcohol in the measurement. For further consideration of measured exposures in the environment, it is important to understand the amount that is sorbed.

 

 

Table A. Measured long chain alcohols in sewage treatment plant influents from monitoring studies in the US

[(Concentrations expressed in µg/L) (data from Morrallet al., 2006 (A) and MRI,2004 (B)). AS-activated sludge L-lagoon; OD-oxidation ditch; RBC-rotatingbiological contactor; TF-trickling filter]

 

  

Location	Treatment Type	C12	C13	C14	C15	C16	C18	Total	Data Source
Influent
San Benito, Texas	L	40.1	39.9	51.2	165.6	55.6	37.1	389.5	A
Rockaway Valley,	OD	82.1	25.4	83.7	57.6	78.6	102.9	430.3	A
St. Clairsville,	RBC	51.5	15.0	55.6	34.7	40.1	37.2	234.1	A
Oskaloosa,	TF	139.2	68.5	168.7	122.7	178.2	176.4	853.7	A
Sedalia,	TF	201.3	64.5	163.6	102.7	150.9	164.3	847.3	A
Rosehill,	L	26.1	4.25	26.62	10.49	15.62	19.75	102.8	A
Lodi,	AS	69.2	12.3	71.8	52.0	78.6	90.1	374.0	A
Durham,	AS	23.2	5.0	31.8	32.9	53.6	79.0	225.5	A
Opelika, Alabama	OD	124.7	90.8	83.8	403.1	203.5	190.4	1096.3	A
Lowell, Indiana	AS	409.6	268.5	277.4	254.3	505.3	617.5	2332.5	B
Wilmington, Ohio	AS	30.0	19.5	21.1	20.8	45.0	43.7	180.1	B
Bryan, Ohio	AS	213.1	154.2	143.4	119.9	322.6	361.7	1314.9	B
Influent Average		84.2	36.2	81.9	109.1	95.0	99.7	506.1	A

 

Location	Treatment Type	C12	C13	C14	C15	C16	C18	Total	Data Source
Effluent
San Benito,	L	0.958	0.067	0.626	0.329	0.888	1.555	4.423	A
Rockaway Valley,	OD	0.603	0.025	0.093	0.021	0.142	0.641	1.525	A
St. Clairsville,	RBC	0.023	0.008	0.025	0.007	0.017	0.050	0.130	A
Oskaloosa,	TF	0.965	0.134	0.448	0.422	0.832	1.466	4.267	A
Sedalia,	TF	1.892	0.499	1.952	0.578	4.752	3.812	13.485	A
Rosehill,	L	0.552	0.067	0.406	0.062	0.221	1.982	3.290	A
Lodi,	AS	0.134	0.015	0.041	0.026	0.060	0.294	0.570	A
Durham,	AS	0.132	0.007	0.057	0.027	0.063	0.538	0.824	A
Opelika,	OD	0.140	0.128	0.032	0.010	0.010	0.438	0.758	A
Lowell, Indiana	AS	0.160	0.004	0.004	0.385	0.035	0.352	0.941	B
Wilmington, Ohio	AS	0.097	0.004	0.056	0.086	0.116	0.400	0.759	B
Bryan, Ohio	AS	0.051	0.004	0.004	0.004	0.004	0.073	0.140	B
Effluent Average		0.270	0.038	0.1601	0.070	0.287	0.656	1.442

 

Location	Treatment Type	C12	C13	C14	C15	C16	C18	Total	Data Source
Removal (%)
San Benito,	L	97.6	99.8	98.8	99.8	98.4	95.8	98.9	A
Rockaway Valley,	OD	99.3	99.9	99.9	100.0	99.8	99.4	99.6	A
St. Clairsville,	RBC	100.0	99.9	100.0	100.0	100.0	99.9	99.9	A
Oskaloosa,	TF	99.3	99.8	99.7	99.7	99.5	99.2	99.5	A
Sedalia,	TF	99.1	99.2	98.8	99.4	96.9	97.7	98.4	A
Rosehill,	L	97.9	98.4	98.5	99.4	98.6	90.0	96.8	A
Lodi,	AS	99.8	99.9	99.9	100.0	99.9	99.7	99.8	A
Durham,	AS	99.4	99.9	99.8	99.9	99.9	99.3	99.6	A
Opelika, Alabama	OD	99.9	99.9	100.0	100.0	100.0	99.8	99.9	A
Lowell, Indiana	AS	100.0	100.0	100.0	99.8	100.0	99.9	100.0	B
Wilmington, Ohio	AS	99.7	100.0	99.7	99.6	99.7	99.1	99.6	B
Bryan, Ohio	AS	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	B
Removal Average		99.8	99.9	99.9	99.9	99.8	99.6	99.8

 

 

Levels of long chain aliphatic alcohols (ng/g) determined on coarse and fine sediment fractions in several small mid-western USA streams

 

Dyer et al. (2006) recently performed a study to determine the appropriateness of the Dunphy et al. (2001) analytical method for measuring alcohol ethoxylate in coarse sediments. The method was applied at three sites of varying sediment composition. Further refinements to the methods were instituted to potentially measure free long chain aliphatic alcohols and alcohol ethoxylates in pore water, surface waters, and chemical sorbed to coarse and fine sediments. Analytical results without further interpretation were recently reported by MRI (2004) to the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA). Three additional sites were considered in this latter study and considered points upstream of the discharge, in the immediate point of entry for the discharge, at the end of the mixing zone, downstream of the mixing zone and far downstream of the mixing zone (Table A.) (MRI, 2004). 

 

Long chain aliphatic alcohols were ubiquitous and primarily associated with fine particulate matter in river sediments.

 Measurements by chain length and location were variable and the highest measurements (up to 12 µg/g) were recorded far downstream of sewage treatment plant inputs (above that recorded in the mixing zones and discharge proper).

 Levels of alcohols upstream of sewage inputs highly overlapped those in discharge and mixing zone samples (circa 0.1 to 1 µg/g). These observations are indicative of and consistent with the widespread natural presence of long chain aliphatic alcohols in sediments reviewed by Mudge (2005).