Sodium O-ethyl dithiocarbonate

Hydrolysis

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

hydrolysis

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

test procedure in accordance with generally accepted scientific standards and described in sufficient detail

Justification for type of information:

Special study performed to confirm rapid hydrolysis of potassium and sodium xanthates in simulated gastric fluid with identification of key metabolites.
This study is used to justify the use of surrogate data in animal testing on the basis that if ingested, the substance will rapidly degrade.

Qualifier:

no guideline followed

Principles of method if other than guideline:

study of the decomposition of four samples of xanthates in simulated gastric fluid; sodium soamyl xanthate, sodium isobutyl xanthate, sodium ethyl xanthate and potassium isoamyl xanthate.
The chemical reaction for this decomposition is:

Xanthate Salt + Hydrochloric acid Alcohol + Sodium Chloride + Carbon Disulphide

The reaction between simulated gastric fluid and the xanthate salts was carried out at 0oC for reasons of safety, as the reaction was expected to occur very quickly. The reaction mixture was then allowed to warm to room temperature over 1 hour, the final temperature being 25oC. A high degree of degradation at this temperature would lead to the inference that degradation would be at least as complete, if not more so, in actual gastric conditions.

Following the reaction solvent was added to produce a biphasic mixture, and the resulting organic
phases were analysed by GC-MS to confirm the presence of the corresponding alcohols. These
alcohols were quantified by comparison to known standards in order to confirm the completeness of the reaction, and to show that these salts behave in the same way under these reaction conditions.

GLP compliance:

no

Radiolabelling:

no

Analytical monitoring:

yes

Buffers:

Performed at pH 1.5 in synthetic gastric fluid

Details on test conditions:

Performed at 5 g/l to simulate possible concentration following ingestion
Performed at low temperatures for safety reasons due to exothermic nature of reaction

Duration:

1 h

pH:

1.5

Temp.:

0 °C

Initial conc. measured:

ca. 5 000 mg/L

Remarks:

Performed at initial temperature of 0 C, but in view of exothermic reaction, temperature will have risen by the end of the reaction.

Number of replicates:

One replicate per substance
A number of xanthates were evaluated as part of this study; all showed the same outcome

Positive controls:

no

Negative controls:

no

Statistical methods:

Not required

Preliminary study:

No

Transformation products:

yes

No.:

#1

No.:

#2

No.:

#3

No.:

#4

Details on hydrolysis and appearance of transformation product(s):

Exothermic reaction. No direct measurement of carbon disulphide possible, but elemental sulphur noted (estimated to be as dissolved sulphur dioxide or sulphates

% Recovery:

0

pH:

1.5

Temp.:

0 °C

Duration:

1 h

Remarks on result:

other: No parent material detected

Remarks on result:

not determinable because of methodological limitations

Remarks:

Too rapid to determine a rate constant

Details on results:

Rapid exothermic reaction in simulated gastric fluid at a loading of 5g/l

Sodium isoamyl xanthate, sodium isobutyl xanthate and sodium ethyl xanthate were added to separate solutions of simulated gastric fluid at 0 C over 1 hour. The low starting temperature was to prevent reaction occurring too quickly, for reasons of safety.

Following the reaction, a liquid-liquid extraction was performed with ethyl acetate and the organic solvent analysed using GCMS. The extracts were compared to a standard curve of ethanol, isoamyl alcohol and isobutyl alcohol were quantified.

Based on analysis of the alcohols. degradation of sodium isobutyl xanthate was found to be > 96% under the experimental conditions and degradation of sodium isoamyl xanthate was found to be > 75% under the experimental conditions.  However, no xanthates could be found at the end of the exposure period

The degradation of sodium ethyl xanthate could not be quantified under the experimental conditions and assumed 100%

To confirm that potassium salts will behave in a similar manner, potassium isoamyl xanthate was added to simulated gastric fluid under the same conditions as the sodium salts above. A liquid-liquid extraction was performed with ethyl acetate and the organic solvent analysed using GCMS. Isoamyl alcohol was observed in the resulting gas chromatogram, as expected.

NMR spectroscopy did not provide any further evidence of the presence of xanthate post addition to gastric fluid. 

To confirm that the sodium or potassium remains in solution as the chloride salt, ICP-OES analysis was carried out on the aqueous phase of the reaction mixture, as well as on the simulated gastric fluid with the difference between the two measurements being an indication of how much sodium or potassium has been added as a result of the xanthate degradation. The analysis showed increased levels of potassium and sodium in the gastric fluid phase upon addition of potassium and sodium xanthates respectively. This provides further evidence that the potassium salts behave in a similar manner to the sodium salts under the experimental conditions.

The increase in sodium could not be quantified owing to the high levels of Na observed, and the addition of Na from processing.

For Potassium Isoamyl Xanthate, a significant increase in potassium was observed and the potassium and sodium salts can be considered as behaving in identical manner.

Carbon disulphide was not detected and due to limitations of the methods detection of carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide was not possible.  There was no reported odour of carbon dislulphide.

Executive summary:

Based on analysis of the alcohols. degradation of sodium isobutyl xanthate was found to be > 96% under the experimental conditions a

To confirm that potassium salts will behave in a similar manner, potassium isoamyl xanthate was added to simulated gastric fluid under the same conditions as the sodium salts above. A liquid-liquid extraction was performed with ethyl acetate and the organic solvent analysed using GCMS. Isoamyl alcohol was observed in the resulting gas chromatogram, as expected.

NMR spectroscopy did not provide any further evidence of the presence of xanthate post addition to gastric fluid. 

To confirm that the sodium or potassium remains in solution as the chloride salt, ICP-OES analysis was carried out on the aqueous phase of the reaction mixture, as well as on the simulated gastric fluid with the difference between the two measurements being an indication of how much sodium or potassium has been added as a result of the xanthate degradation. The analysis showed increased levels of potassium and sodium in the gastric fluid phase upon addition of potassium and sodium xanthates respectively. This provides further evidence that the potassium salts behave in a similar manner to the sodium salts under the experimental conditions.

The increase in sodium could not be quantified owing to the high levels of Na observed, and the addition of Na from processing.

For Potassium Isoamyl Xanthate, a significant increase in potassium was observed and the potassium and sodium salts can be considered as behaving in identical manner.

Carbon disulphide was not detected and due to limitations of the methods detection of carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide was not possible.  There was no reported odour of carbon dislulphide.

Description of key information

Under dilute conditions, hydrolysis is almost instantaneous and is exothermic. 

Hydrolysis products have been foudn to be carbon disulphide and respective alcohols. 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Half-life for hydrolysis:

1 h

at the temperature of:

40 °C

Additional information

The hydrolysis of xanthate in aqueous solution at room temperature is characterized by the following reaction:

6ROC(S)SNa + 3H₂O = 6ROH + 2NaSC(S)SNa + Na₂CO₃+ 3CS₂

Further hydrolysis of the CS₂gives H₂S and CO₂and the trithiocarbonate hydrolysis produces H₂S and sodium carbonate.