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Environmental fate & pathways

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When released into the atmosphere, acrylic acid will react slowly with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals primarily by addition to the double bond, and with atmospheric ozone, resulting in estimated half-lives of 39.6 hours and 6.5 days, respectively, assuming a hydroxyl radical concentration of 500000 molecules/cm³ and an ozone concentration of 7E11 molecules/cm³ (BASF SE, 2008). Since the UV absorption band extends to 320 nm (Sadtler, 1960; BUA Report 1994), direct sunlight photolysis of acrylic acid is possible, but no experimental data are available.

Based on the compound’s vapour pressure and Henry’s Law constant, evaporation from the water surface into the atmosphere is not expected. Thus, photodegradation may not play a considerable role under environmental conditions.

 

In a hydrolysis study conducted by Ricerca Inc. (BAMM 1990), 14C-acrylic acid was stable to hydrolysis at pH 3, 7, and 11 at 25 °C.

Therefore, hydrolysis will not contribute significantly to the degradation of acrylic acid under environmental conditions.