1,3-Butadiene

Synonyms

Biethylene; Bivinyl; Buta-1,3-dieen [Dutch]; Buta-1,3-dien [German]; Buta-1,3-diene; Butadieen [Dutch]; Butadien [Polish]; Butadiene monomer; Butadiene-1,3-uninhibited; Divinyl; Erythrene; UN 1010; Vinylethylene; alpha,gamma-Butadiene; [ChemIDplus] UN1010

Category

Other Monomers

Description

Colorless gas with a mild aromatic or gasoline-like odor. [Note: A liquid below 24 degrees F. Shipped as a liquefied compressed gas.] Vapor density = 1.87 (heavier than air); [HSDB]

Sources/Uses

Used in the production of synthetic rubber for motor vehicle tires; also used in styrene-butadiene polymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resins, and other compounds; [ACGIH] In a study of Swedish refinery workers, "The exposure to 1,3-butadiene among all exposure groups was low (95% of all samples were below 10 ug/m3) in relation to the Swedish OEL, of 1000 ug/m3." [PMID 28578463]

Comments

Synthetic rubber workers in the past had increased incidence of leukemia attributed to chronic and heavy exposure to 1,3-butadiene. Acutely, it is not very toxic. [Lewis R. "Overview of the Rubber Industry and Tire Manufacturing." in Occupational Medicine STAR 14(4): 710, 1999.] In reproductive studies of mice, 1,3-butadiene causes testicular damage. Some animal studies found birth defects after high doses during early pregnancy. [Frazier, p. 277-8] Causes CNS depression at high concentrations; May have effects on the bone marrow; [ICSC] "Germ cell mutagens that have shown to increase the mutant frequency in the progeny of exposed mammals." [MAK] "The excesses were attributable to both chronic lymphocytic and chronic myelogenous leukemia, with significant exposure-response relationships between cumulative exposure to butadiene and mortality from both leukaemia types." There is sufficient evidence that 1,3-butadiene causes cancer of haematolymphatic organs in studies of styrene-butadiene rubber and butadiene-monomer workers. [IARC Monograph Volume 100F (2012)] Butadienes, stabilized (UN1010) has warning of explosive polymerization; [ERG 2016]

See Occupational Safety & Health Standard--29CFR1910.1051

Reference Link #1

Biomedical References

1,2 Dihydroxy-4-(N-acetylcysteinyl)-butane in urine = 2.5 mg/L at end of shift; Mixture of N-1 and N-2-(hydroxybutenyl)valine hemoglobin (Hb) adducts in blood = 2.5 pmol/g Hb sampling time not critical;

Insufficient data

2 ppm

1 ppm, STEL(OSHA) = 5 ppm

2000 ppm

Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs

Other animal data: Exposures to 6,700 ppm for 7.5 hours/day, 6 days/week for 8 months caused no progressive injury in rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, or 1 dog [Carpenter et al. 1944]. Human data: Narcosis did not occur in volunteers exposed to 8,000 ppm for 8 hours [Carpenter et al. 1944]. Exposure to 10,000 ppm for 5 minutes has resulted in slight irritation and dryness of the nose and mouth with some increase in pulse rate but no effect on blood pressure or respiration [Shugaev 1968].

0.09 ppm

Odor Threshold High

76 ppm

LC50 (rat) = 285,000 mg/m3/4H

Yes

Explanatory Notes

IDLH = 10% LEL (lower explosive limit); Detection odor threshold from AIHA (mean = 0.45 ppm); Flash point = -105 deg F;

No reports found; [TDR, p. 224]

Reference Link #2

burn readily

10 ppm

200 ppm

5,000 ppm

Acute solvent syndrome

Yes

Established

Human carcinogen

Suspected Human

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Leukemia
• Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin
• Solvents, acute toxic effect

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Plastic Composites Manufacturing

Activities

Activities with risk of exposure:

• Smoking cigarettes