1,4 Dioxane and the Environment
by Lori Dolata, Regional Marketing Manager for GC and GC-MS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
13 Jun 2016
I recently came across a National Science Foundation video about 1,4 dioxane in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River Basin. This compound is a synthetic industrial chemical that comes in the form of clear liquid with a mild ether-like scent, and it can be detected using gas chromatography . Isomers (1,2 and 1,3) of dioxane exist, but they are rare, so the chemical is often referred to simply as dioxane.
It is produced by dehydrating diethylene glycol, most often using concentrated sulfuric acid (ca. 5%) as the dehydration catalyst. Dioxane has been detected in groundwater all over the U.S., and is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a likely carcinogen.
Dioxane is used in the formulation or manufacturing of various household or industrial products. Some of its common uses include:
- A stabilizer in chlorinated solvents (link to USGS information page) such as trichloroethane
- A solvent for extracting animal and vegetable oils
- A wetting and dispersing agent in textile processes
- An ingredient in paints, varnishes, adhesives, cosmetics and pesticides
- A purifying agent in pharmaceutical manufacturing