Carbon disulfide: Environmental effects
Description
Acute (short-term) ecological effects: Acute toxic effects may include the death of animals, birds, or fish, and death or low growth rate in plants. Acute effects are seen two to four days after animals or plants are exposed to a toxic chemical substance. Carbon disulfide has moderate acute toxicity to aquatic life. No data are available on the short-term effects of carbon disulfide to plants, birds, or land animals.
Chronic (long-term) ecological effects: Chronic toxic effects may include shortened lifespan, reproductive problems, lower fertility, and changes in appearance or behaviour. Chronic effects can be seen long after first exposure(s) to a toxic chemical. Carbon disulfide has high chronic toxicity to aquatic life. No data are available on the long-term effects of carbon disulfide to plants, birds, or land animals.
Entering the environment
Carbon disulfide evaporates rapidly when released to the environment. Carbon disulfide does not stay dissolved in water very long, and it also moves quickly through soils.
Carbon disulfide reacts with the hydroxyl (OH) radical in the atmosphere, with the effective rate constant depending on O2 concentration and total pressure. Based on the literature rate constant at one atmosphere of air, the calculated half-life of carbon disulfide due to its reaction with the OH radical are about 8 days. Its reaction products include carbonyl sulfide and sulfur dioxide.
Carbon disulfide is non-persistent in water, with a half-life of less than 2 days. About 99.8% of carbon disulfide will eventually end up in air; the rest will end up in the water.
Where it ends up
Carbon disulfide by itself is not likely to cause environmental harm at levels normally found in the environment. Carbon disulfide can contribute to the formation of photochemical smog when it reacts with other volatile organic substance in air.
Bioaccumulation in most organisms is limited by the metabolism and rapid excretion of carbon disulfide. Bioaccumulation in the food chain is expected to be low.
Environmental guidelines
No national guidelines.
Key
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