Cyclohexane: Environmental effects
Description
Cyclohexane is non-persistent in water, with a half-life of less than 2 days. The half-life of a pollutant is the amount of time it takes for one-half of the chemical to be degraded. Virtually 100% of cyclohexane will end up in the air.
The concentration of cyclohexane found in fish tissues is expected to be somewhat higher than the average concentration of cyclohexane in the water from which the fish was taken.
Cyclohexane has moderate acute toxicity to aquatic life. It has caused membrane damage in an ornamental crop species. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the short-term effects of cyclohexane to birds or land animals.
Cyclohexane has moderate chronic toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the long-term effects of cyclohexane to plants, birds, or land animals.
Entering the environment
Cyclohexane enters the environment mainly in industrial and municipal discharges. Cyclohexane evaporates when exposed to air. It dissolves slightly when mixed with water. Most direct releases of cyclohexane to the environment are to air. Cyclohexane also evaporates from water and soil exposed to air. Once in air, it is expected to break down to other chemicals. Because it is a liquid that does not bind well to soil, cyclohexane that makes its way into the ground can move through the ground and enter groundwater. Plants and animals living in environments contaminated with cyclohexane can store small amounts of the chemical.
Where it ends up
Cyclohexane by itself is not likely to cause environmental harm at levels normally found in the environment. Cyclohexane can contribute to the formation of photochemical smog when it reacts with nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and other volatile organic carbon substances in air.
Environmental guidelines
No national guidelines.
Key
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