| Chemical Abstract Number (CAS #) |
62759
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| Synonyms | N-Nitrosodimethylamine |
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Dimethylnitrosamine | Methamine, N-methyl-N-nitroso- | Methanamine, N-methyl-N-nitroso |
| Analytical Methods |
EPA Method 607 |
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EPA Method 625 |
EPA Method 8070 |
EPA Method 8250A |
| Molecular Formula | C2H6N2O |
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| Use | INDUSTRIAL SOLVENT, ANTIOXIDANT; SOLVENT IN FIBER & PLASTICS
INDUSTRY; IN LUBRICANTS, CONDENSERS TO INCR DIELECTRIC CONSTANT; HAS
BEEN USED AS NEMATOCIDE; SOFTENER FOR COPOLYMERS. FORMER USES
FORMERLY IN PRODN OF ROCKET FUELS
RESEARCH CHEMICAL; CHEM INT FOR 1,1-DIMETHYLHYDRAZINE (FORMER USE)
Solvent, Rubber accelerator
Inhibition of nitrification in soil, used as plasticizer for acrylonitrile polymers, used in active
metal anode-electrolyte systems (high-energy batteries), in the preparation of thiocarbonyl
fluoride polymers, in the plasticization of rubber.
No evidence was found that NDMA is used at present, except for research purposes.
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| Apparent Color | YELLOW LIQUID; Yellow oily liquid
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| Odor | FAINT CHARACTERISTIC ODOR; No appreciable odor
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| Boiling Point | 151-153 DEG C
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| Molecular Weight | 74.08
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| Density | 1.0048 AT 20 DEG C/4 DEG C
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| Sensitivity Data | The liquid and vapor may be irritating to the skin or eyes.
Immediately irritating to the eye.
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| Environmental Impact | DMN may be released to the environment from some suggested applications in rocket
fuels, as a solvent, rubber accelerator, antioxidant, additive for lubricants, and softener for
copolymers. DMN has been detected in wastewater effluents, dried sludge, diesel and gasoline
engine exhaust, and in the air from a number of industries including foundry, rubber, chemical,
dye, leather, fish processing, and surfactant operations. DMN formation has been demonstrated in
soil to which nitrite and dimethylamine were added. If released to the surface of warm, moist
soils, DMN will rapidly volatilize. In soil, DMN is highly mobile and will probably leach
extensively. The importance of DMN biodegradation in soil cannot be assessed. Hydrolysis is
probably not a significant removal mechanism for DMN. One study reported a half-life of about 3
weeks for DMN in aerobic soils under laboratory conditions. If released to water, DMN will
probably not sorb to suspended or benthic sediments or to biota. Although a Henry's Law
constant could not be calculated, volatilization of DMN from water will probably be slow but may
be a significant transport process in some cases (eg shallow water). Photodegradation should be
the most significant degradative process for DMN in water. Biodegradation data are inconsistent;
thus, the importance of biodegradation in the removal of DMN cannot be assessed. Hydrolysis is
probably not an important removal process for DMN. DMN that is released to the atmosphere is
not expected to be persistent. Estimated atmospheric half-lives for DMN are approximately 5
minutes to 7 hours. DMN has been found in tap water and in a number of foods including cheese,
beer, milk, bacon, edible oils, bisquits, dried peas, vinegar, margarine, infant formula, and fish.
DMN has also been found in the ambient air of several large cities, in the passenger area of new
cars, in smoke-filled rooms and in cigarette smoke, and at a number of industries. The most
significant exposure to DMN for the average person will probably be from the ingestion of food
that contains it, while the most significant occupational exposure will probably be from breathing
air that is contaminated with DMN at foundry, rubber, tannery, fish processing, dye and
surfactants industries.
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| Environmental Fate | TERRESTRIAL FATE: N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) released to the surface of
warm, moist soils will rapidly volatilize . DMN in soil will be highly mobile(2-3) and may leach
to groundwater. One study reported a half-life of about three weeks for DMN in aerobic soil
under laboratory conditions. The primary removal processes were volatilization and
biodegradation. Another study reported that 17% of added DMN (132 ug DMN/g soil) was lost
from a sandy loam soil after 10 days incubation at 30 deg C but that no further loss was noted
during the next 30 days incubation . However, when the organic matter content was increased
from 2.16% to 17.5%, over 60% of the added DMN was lost by day 15 of the incubation
period . Hydrolysis is probably not an important removal process for DMN in soil because of
the lack of hydrolyzable function groups.
AQUATIC FATE: Because of its low log Kow (-0.570) , N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) is
not expected to sorb to suspended or benthic sediments or to biota.
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) released to the surface of warm, moist soils will rapidly
volatilize . Photodegradation may be a significant degradative process for DMN in water (DMN
half-life was 79 hours at an initial DMN concentration of 74 mg/l in distilled water exposed to
fluorescent light through a Pyrex filter) . Based on photodegradation studies on a similiar
compound (N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine), DMN will probably also rapidly photodegrade in lake
water exposed to sunlight(3,SRC). The importance of biodegradation cannot be assessed because
of inconsistent data . Hydrolysis is probably not an important removal process since DMN
concentration in lake water essentially did not change after 108 days incubation at 30 deg C in the
dark .
ATMOSPHERIC FATE: N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) will rapidly degrade in the
atmosphere. Estimated atmospheric half-lives for DMN are about 5 minutes , approximately 30
minutes , and less than or equal to 0.3 days (7.2 hours) .
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| Drinking Water Impact | NDMA WAS PRESENT IN SEA-WATER ADJACENT TO
1,1-DIMETHYLHYDRAZINE CHEM FACTORY IN BALTIMORE WHICH WAS
EMITTING NDMA INTO THE AIR; LEVELS VARIED FROM 0.08-0.25 UG/L.
DRINKING WATER: N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) concentration in Philadelphia tap water
was 3-6 ng/l , 0.03-0.34 ppb in water exposed to deionizing resins , and 0.06 ug/l in
deionized, distilled laboratory water .
SEAWATER: N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) concentrations in Curtis Bay and Stonehouse
Cove (Baltimore) were 35-940 ng/l and in Newark Bay (Elizabeth, NJ) DMN concentration was
0.22 ng/ml(1,2).
EFFL: N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) concentration in a chemical plant effluent released to a
river was 9040 ng/l and was detected but not quantified in the effluent from an Addison, IL
wastewater treatment plant . Other DMN concentrations in wastewater and wastewater related
samples were: 2 ng/ml in an aerobic lagoon in Belle, WV , 2700 ng/l in a sewer sample in
Baltimore , 0.2-0.3 ug/l in wastewater , 0.374 ug/g in a municipal sewage sludge sample(6),
53 ppb in dried sludge from a Syracuse, NY treatment plant(7), 0.2 ng/l in the influent to a
wastewater treatment plant in Belle, WV , and 0.5 ng/ml in lagoon seepage at Belle, WV .
Heavy duty diesel engines emitted from 4.4 to 136.0 g DMN/hour while the maximum DMN
concentration in the diesel crankcase emissions was 17.2 ug/cu m . DMN has also been
detected in the exhaust from catalyst equipped cars .
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