Butyronitrile Safety Data Sheets

Flammable liquids, Category 2

Acute toxicity - Category 3, Oral

Acute toxicity - Category 3, Dermal

Acute toxicity - Category 3, Inhalation

If inhaled

Following skin contact

Following eye contact

Following ingestion

Dizziness, rapid respirations, headache, drowsiness, drop in blood pressure and pulse, delayed symptoms. May cause cyanosis (blue-grey coloring of skin and lips due to lack of oxygen) (USCG, 1999)

Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Toxic cyanide fumes (USCG, 1999)

Use water spray, foam, alcohol-resistant foam, dry powder, carbon dioxide. In case of fire: keep drums, etc., cool by spraying with water.

Remove all ignition sources. Collect leaking and spilled liquid in sealable containers as far as possible. Absorb remaining liquid in sand or inert absorbent. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment. Personal protection: self-contained breathing apparatus.

Remove all ignition sources. Collect leaking and spilled liquid in sealable containers as far as possible. Absorb remaining liquid in sand or inert absorbent. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment. Personal protection: self-contained breathing apparatus.

Collect and arrange disposal. Keep the chemical in suitable and closed containers for disposal. Remove all sources of ignition. Use spark-proof tools and explosion-proof equipment. Adhered or collected material should be promptly disposed of, in accordance with appropriate laws and regulations.

NO open flames, NO sparks and NO smoking. NO contact with oxidizing agents. Above 17°C use a closed system, ventilation and explosion-proof electrical equipment. Do NOT use compressed air for filling, discharging, or handling. Handling in a well ventilated place. Wear suitable protective clothing. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid formation of dust and aerosols. Use non-sparking tools. Prevent fire caused by electrostatic discharge steam.

Fireproof. Separated from strong oxidants, strong reducing agents, strong bases, strong acids and food and feedstuffs. Keep in a well-ventilated room.

Occupational Exposure limit values

Biological limit values

Eye/face protection

Skin protection

Respiratory protection

Thermal hazards

Decomposes on burning. Decomposes on contact with hot surfaces, flames or acids. This produces toxic and corrosive fumes including hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides. Reacts violently with strong acids, strong bases, strong oxidants and strong reducing agents.

no data available

FLAMMABLE, DANGEROUS FIRE RISK.The vapour mixes well with air, explosive mixtures are easily formed.BUTYRONITRILE can react vigorously with oxidizing reagents, when heated to decomposition, it emits highly toxic fumes of cyanides and oxides of nitrogen [Sax, 9th ed., 1996, p. 609]. Nitriles may polymerize in the presence of metals and some metal compounds. They are incompatible with acids; mixing nitriles with strong oxidizing acids can lead to extremely violent reactions. Nitriles are generally incompatible with other oxidizing agents such as peroxides and epoxides. The combination of bases and nitriles can produce hydrogen cyanide. Nitriles are hydrolyzed in both aqueous acid and base to give carboxylic acids (or salts of carboxylic acids). These reactions generate heat. Peroxides convert nitriles to amides. Nitriles can react vigorously with reducing agents. Acetonitrile and propionitrile are soluble in water, but nitriles higher than propionitrile have low aqueous solubility. They are also insoluble in aqueous acids.

no data available

Strong oxidizers & reducing agents, strong acids & bases.

When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of NOx and CN- /nitrogen oxides and cyanides/.

Acute toxicity

• Oral: LD50 Rat oral 135 mg/kg
• Inhalation: LC50 Mouse inhalation 249 ppm/1 hr
• Dermal: no data available

Skin corrosion/irritation

Serious eye damage/irritation

Respiratory or skin sensitization

Germ cell mutagenicity

Carcinogenicity

Reproductive toxicity

STOT-single exposure

STOT-repeated exposure

Aspiration hazard

• Toxicity to fish: no data available
• Toxicity to daphnia and other aquatic invertebrates: no data available
• Toxicity to algae: no data available
• Toxicity to microorganisms: no data available

AEROBIC: Enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of nitriles has been shown to proceed by two distinct routes(1,2); a nitrilase transforms the nitriles directly into acids plus ammonium ion, or a nitrile hydratase forms the amide which is hydrolyzed to acid plus ammonium ion by amidase(1,2). A predictive method based upon evaluated biodegradation data and the fact that butanenitrile contains a nitrile substructure predicts that butanenitrile has a high probability of biodegrading fast in the environment(3). A mixed microbial culture, isolated from an environment contaminated with organic cyanides and PCBs, utilized butanenitrile as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen(4). The mixed microbial culture was grown for 48 hrs at pH 7 with 1 g/l of butanenitrile; the final pH and ammonia concn were determined to be 8.69 and 74.6 umol/ml, respectively(4). Isobutanenitrile, a chemical whose structure is similar to butanenitrile, has been shown to biodegrade readily using the Japanese MITI protocol (2 wk incubation, 100 ppm concn) with theoretical BODs of 53.9-66.3%(5,6). In addition, acetonitrile, which is structurally similar to butanenitrile, has been shown to biodegrade readily in river water, especially with acclimated microbes(7,8). Thus, butanenitrile may be expected to biodegrade in the environment(SRC).

An estimated BCF of 3 was calculated for butanenitrile(SRC), using a log Kow of 0.53(1) and a regression-derived equation(2). According to a classification scheme(3), this BCF suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC).

The Koc of butanenitrile is estimated as 46(SRC), using a measured log Kow of 0.53(1) and a regression-derived equation(2). According to a classification scheme(3), this estimated Koc value suggests that butanenitrile is expected to have very high mobility in soil(SRC).

no data available

Product

Contaminated packaging

no data available

no data available

Information on revision

Abbreviations and acronyms

• CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service
• ADR: European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road
• RID: Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail
• IMDG: International Maritime Dangerous Goods
• IATA: International Air Transportation Association
• TWA: Time Weighted Average
• STEL: Short term exposure limit
• LC50: Lethal Concentration 50%
• LD50: Lethal Dose 50%
• EC50: Effective Concentration 50%

References

• IPCS - The International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC), website: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.home
• HSDB - Hazardous Substances Data Bank, website: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/newtoxnet/hsdb.htm
• IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer, website: http://www.iarc.fr/
• eChemPortal - The Global Portal to Information on Chemical Substances by OECD, website: http://www.echemportal.org/echemportal/index?pageID=0&request_locale=en
• CAMEO Chemicals, website: http://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/search/simple
• ChemIDplus, website: http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidlite.jsp
• ERG - Emergency Response Guidebook by U.S. Department of Transportation, website: http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/library/erg
• Germany GESTIS-database on hazard substance, website: http://www.dguv.de/ifa/gestis/gestis-stoffdatenbank/index-2.jsp
• ECHA - European Chemicals Agency, website: https://echa.europa.eu/

Other Information

Specific treatment is necessary in case of poisoning with this substance; the appropriate means with instructions must be available.Depending on the degree of exposure, periodic medical examination is suggested.