[Pharmwaste] Phthalates, Pharmwaste Digest, Vol 82, Issue 6

Fredrick L. Miller millerfl at tricity.wsu.edu
Tue Aug 14 14:09:46 EDT 2012


I agree with Ross' assessment.  There is no pathway in an open environment to dioxin formation from combining phthalates with any naturally occurring or industrial source of chlorine I'm aware or can think of.

Fred

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Bunnell, Ross
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 11:05 AM
To: 'pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us'
Subject: FW: [Pharmwaste] Phthalates, Pharmwaste Digest, Vol 82, Issue 6

Ron:

I don't think the structure of phthalates are conducive to dioxin/furan formation, but I could be wrong.

Here's the basic structure of a phthalate:
[phthalate structure.png]
Here's the basic structure of a polychlorinated dibenzodioxin (commonly referred to as PCDDs or simply "dioxins"):

[dioxin structure.png](where Cln and Clm represent anywhere from 1 to 4 chlorine additions per benzene ring)

The basic problem is that the phthalates have a carbonyl (C=O) group where the oxygen bridge of the PCDD is supposed to be.  A chemical change like this might be possible in extreme conditions like during combustion, but I don't see it happening, say, in wastewater effluent or anything like that.

Also, although PCDDs are common byproducts of PVC production, I am not aware of any association between PCDDs and phthalate production.  You would think that if phthalates have the potential to form PCDDs, they would be present in the phthalates themselves.

--Ross Bunnell
Sanitary Engineer 3
-----------------------
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP)
Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance
Waste Engineering & Enforcement Division
Tel.  860.424.3274
Fax  860.424.4059
Email:  ross.bunnell at ct.gov<mailto:ross.bunnell at ct.gov>
Website:  www.ct.gov/deep<http://www.ct.gov/deep>


From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us> [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us]<mailto:[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us]> On Behalf Of Ronald Ney
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 1:05 PM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Phthalates, Pharmwaste Digest, Vol 82, Issue 6


  Subject: Phthalates, Pharmwaste Digest, Vol 82, Issue 6
Here is something to think about, if phthalates where to form the general structure of dioxins and furans without the chlorines could chlorine attach to the carbon atoms if chlorinated? Maybe someone has done some research on this.

Ron Ney

Phthalate general structure


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