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Abstract

Methylene-4,4′-dianiline (MDA, CAS-No. 101–77-9) is a high production volume intermediate that is mainly processed to diisocyanates and finally polyurethanes. This review summarizes available data concerning the environmental behavior. When released into the environment, MDA distributes into water and subsequently sediment and soil compartments; the air is of little relevance, owed to the low vapor pressure and short atmospheric half-life, which renders MDA non-critical for long-range transport. Biodegradation data present a diverged picture; in some tests, MDA is not readily biodegradable or even not inherent biodegradable; in other tests, MDA turned out to be readily biodegradable (but failing the 10-d window). The history and composition of the inoculum used for testing seem to play an important role, which is underlined by good test results with adapted inoculum. In soil, initially a rapid mineralization is observed, which slows down within the first days due to competitive chemical absorption. The latter results in degradation rates comparable to that of natural organic matter. Under anaerobic conditions, mineralization is poor. Irreversible chemisorption occurs unless soils/sediments are highly reduced. Half-lives due to primary decay do not indicate MDA to be persistent according to the regulatory guidance used in then EU, Canada, or the USA; in Japan, however, due to test results in MITI degradation tests, MDA would be regarded as persistent. The identification of microbial MDA metabolites deserves further research. MDA is not bioaccumulative, but it is toxic to aquatic organisms and mammals. MDA in pore water of soils is rapidly adsorbed on the surface of plant roots. Test runs were too short to draw a final conclusion with regards to transport to stem, leaves, and fruits. Data from structurally similar compounds indicate that such transport would account for less than 1% of the root-adsorbed material.

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Acknowledgement

This work was sponsored by the International Isocyanate Institute, Inc. The views presented in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the sponsor.

Conflict of Interest

T. Schupp worked for BASF, an MDA producer, until 2012.

H. Allmendinger is a consultant for Currenta GmbH & Co. OHG.

S. Shen is working for Dow, an MDA producer.

B. T. A. Bossuyt is working for Huntsman, an MDA producer.

C. Boegi and B. Hidding are working for BASF, an MDA producer.

B. Tury and R. J. West have been employed by the International Isocyanate Institute, Inc.

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Correspondence to Thomas Schupp .

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Appendices

Annex 1: Output of the QSAR Toolbox Microbial Metabolism Simulator for 4,4′-MDA

Smiles notation: Nc1ccc(Cc2ccc(O)cc2)cc1

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

2.62

2.47E-04

975

Smiles notation: Nc1ccc(Cc2ccc(O)c(O)c2)cc1

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

2.14

3.42E-06

2,070

Smiles notation: Nc1ccc(Cc2ccc(N)c(O)c2O)cc1

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

1.22

1.16E-07

2,748

Smiles notation: Nc1ccc(Cc2ccc(O)cc2)c(O)c1O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

1.66

2.12E-07

4,372

Smiles notation: Oc1ccc(Cc2ccc(O)c(O)c2)cc1

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

2.57

5.74E-06

866

Smiles notation: Oc1ccc(Cc2ccc(O)c(O)c2)cc1O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

2.09

3.89E-07

1,830

Smiles notation: Oc1ccc(Cc2ccc(O)c(O)c2O)cc1O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

2.04

2.52E-08

1,678

Smiles notation: OC(=O)C(O)=C(O)C=CC(=O)Cc1ccc(O)c(O)c1

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

0.05

3.71E-12

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.54

4.78E03

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(CCC(O)=O)CC(=O)C(O)=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−2.64

4.94E-06

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(C(O)=O)C(=O)C=CC(=O)Cc1ccc(O)c(O)c1

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

0.27

5.85E-10

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)CCC=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.42

16

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)CCC(O)=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.59

2.55E-05

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)Cc1ccc(O)c(O)c1

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

0.98

1.32E-04

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)CC=CCC(=O)C(O)=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−1.32

1.61E-03

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)CC=CC=C(O)C(O)=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.29

6.38E-06

1.36E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)CC(C=O)=CC=C(O)C(O)=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−1.23

2.56E-07

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: Nc1ccc(Cc2ccc(O)c(O)c2)c(O)c1O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

1.18

1.37E-08

9,191

Smiles notation: CCC(O)=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

0.33

471

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: CC(=O)C(O)=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−1.24

172

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: C=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

0.35

5.19E05

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: C=CC=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.01

3.65E04

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)C=C

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

0.35

529

53,468

Smiles notation: C=CC(=O)C=O

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.36

1,370

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(C(O)=O)C(=O)C=C

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.65

3.86E-02

>1.00E05

Smiles notation: OC(=O)C(=O)C=C

Structure

Log Kow

Vapor pressure (Pa/25°C)

Water solubility (mg/L)

−0.11

32

>1.00E05

Annex 2: Summary Table of Selected EUSUS 2.1 Calculation Results

Table 35

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Schupp, T. et al. (2018). The Environmental Behavior of Methylene-4,4′-dianiline. In: de Voogt, P. (eds) Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Volume 246. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, vol 246. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/398_2018_13

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