Biphenyl (1,1-biphenyl): Environmental effects
Description
Biphenyl has high acute toxicity, but low chronic toxicity, to aquatic life. Biphenyl is expected to be non-toxic to terrestrial organisms at levels that are normally found in the environment.
Entering the environment
Volatilisation and sorption are important in the transport of biphenyl in water. As it is a solid that binds to soil, biphenyl will only move slowly through the ground and enter groundwater. The half-life of biphenyl in water is up to about 20 days.
Plants and animals may store small amounts of biphenyl.
About 59% of biphenyl will eventually end up in air; about 15.6% will end up in water; and the rest will be divided about equally between terrestrial soils and aquatic sediments.
Where it ends up
Biphenyl dissolves poorly when mixed with water. Most releases of biphenyl are to air. In air, biphenyl breaks down to other chemicals or settles as dry deposits to water or land. Biphenyl attaches to solid material in water. Microorganisms living in water and in soil break down biphenyl to other chemicals.
The dominant tropospheric loss process for biphenyl is reaction with the photochemically produced hydroxyl (OH) radical. The calculated half-life biphenyl due to reaction with the OH radical is estimated to be 1.4 days. The products observed are 2-hydroxybiphenyl and, in much lesser amounts, 3- and 4-hydroxybiphenyl, and 3-nitrobiphenyl.
Environmental guidelines
No national guidelines.
Key
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