218-01-9

A crystalline solid. Denser than water and insoluble in water. The primary hazard is the threat to the environment. Immediate steps should be taken to limit spread to the environment. Toxic by ingestion. Used to make other chemicals.

Vigorous reactions, sometimes amounting to explosions, can result from the contact between aromatic hydrocarbons, such as CHRYSENE(218-01-9), and strong oxidizing agents. They can react exothermically with bases and with diazo compounds. Substitution at the benzene nucleus occurs by halogenation (acid catalyst), nitration, sulfonation, and the Friedel-Crafts reaction.

Insoluble in water.

Possible carcinogen.

ACUTE/CHRONIC HAZARDS: Toxic.

Almost never found by itself, chrysene is found in gasoline and diesel exhaust as well as in cigarette smoke; and in coal tar; coal tar pitch; creosote. It is used in organic synthesis.

Some may burn but none ignite readily. Containers may explode when heated. Some may be transported hot.

If this chemical gets into the eyes, remove any contact lenses at once and irrigate immediately for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek medical attention immediately. If this chemical contacts the skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash immediately with soap and water. Seek medical attention immediately. If this chemical has been inhaled, remove from exposure, begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions, including resuscitation mask) if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical facility. When this chemical has been swallowed, get medical attention. Give large quantities of water and induce vomiting. Do not make an unconscious person vomit.

UN3077 Environmentally Hazardous substances, solid, n.o.s., Hazard class: 9; Labels: 9-Miscellaneous hazardous material, Technical Name Required.

Contact with strong oxidizers may cause fire and explosion hazard

Chrysene is a combustible, white (when pure), red, or blue, fluorescent crystalline solid. Odorless. Chrysene 859 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are compounds containing multiple benzene rings and are also called polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons

crystalline powder

Chrysene may be destroyed by permanganate oxidation, by high-temperature incinerator with scrubbing equipment; or by microwave plasma treatment.

Orthorhombic, bipyramidal plates from benzene exhibiting strong reddish-blue fluorescence under UV light

ChEBI: Chrysene is an ortho-fused polycyclic arene found commonly in the coal tar. It has a role as a plant metabolite.

Tetrahedron Letters, 29, p. 3865, 1988 DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)82136-X

The IARC has determined that there is limited evidence that chrysene is carcinogenic to experimental animals.ACGIH has classified chrysene as a confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans; a numerical threshold limit value (TLV) is not recommended.

Identified in Kuwait and South Louisiana crude oils at concentrations of 6.9 and 17.5 ppm, respectively (Pancirov and Brown, 1975). Also present in high octane gasoline (6.7 mg/kg), bitumen (1.64–5.14 ppm), gasoline exhaust (27–318 μg/m³), cigarette smoke (60 μg/1,000 cigarettes), and South Louisiana crude oil (17.5 ppm) (quoted, Verschueren, 1983). Also detected in fresh motor oil (56 mg/L), used motor oil (10.17 mg/L) (Pasquini and Monarca, 1093).
Detected in groundwater beneath a former coal gasification plant in Seattle, WA at a concentration of 10 μg/L (ASTR, 1995). The concentration of chrysene in coal tar and the maximum concentration reported in groundwater at a mid-Atlantic coal tar site were 3,600 and 0.0063 mg/L, respectively (Mackay and Gschwend, 2001). Based on laboratory analysis of 7 coal tar samples, chrysene concentrations ranged from 620 to 5,100 ppm (EPRI, 1990). Chrysene was also detected in 9 commercially available creosote samples at concentrations ranging from 19 to 620 mg/kg (Kohler et al., 2000).
Identified in high-temperature coal tar pitches used in roofing operations at concentrations ranging from 2,600 to 88,000 mg/kg (Arrendale and Rogers, 1981; Malaiyandi et al., 1982).
Chrysene was detected in asphalt fumes at an average concentration of 115.67 ng/m³ (Wang et al., 2001).
Under atmospheric conditions, a low rank coal (0.5–1 mm particle size) from Spain was burned in a fluidized bed reactor at seven different temperatures (50 °C increments) beginning at 650 °C. The combustion experiment was also conducted at different amounts of excess oxygen (5 to 40%) and different flow rates (700 to 1,100 L/h). At 20% excess oxygen and a flow rate of 860 L/h, the amount of chrysene emitted ranged from 127.9 ng/kg at 950 °C to 1,186.0 ng/kg at 750 °C. The greatest amount of PAHs emitted were observed at 750 °C (Mastral et al., 1999).

Biological. When chrysene was statically incubated in the dark at 25 °C with yeast extract and settled domestic wastewater inoculum, significant biodegradation with varied adaptation rates was observed. At concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/L, 59 and 38% biodegradation, respectively, were observed after 28 d (Tabak et al., 1981).
Soil. The reported half-lives for chrysene in a Kidman sandy loam and McLaurin sandy loam are 371 and 387 d, respectively (Park et al., 1990).
Surface Water. In a 5-m deep surface water body, the calculated half-lives for direct photochemical transformation at 40 °N latitude, in the midsummer during midday were 13 h and 68 d with and without sediment-water partitioning, respectively (Zepp and Schlotzhauer, 1979).
Photolytic. Based on structurally related compounds, chrysene may undergo photolysis to yield quinones (U.S. EPA, 1985) and/or hydroxy derivatives (Nielsen et al., 1983). The atmospheric half-life was estimated to range from 0.802 to 8.02 h (Atkinson, 1987). Behymer and Hites (1985) determined the effect of different substrates on the rate of photooxidation of chrysene using a rotary photoreactor. The photolytic half-lives of chrysene using silica gel, alumina, and fly ash were 100, 78, and 38 h, respectively.

Color Code—Green: General storage may be used.Prior to working with chrysene you should be trained on itsproper handling and storage. A regulated, marked areashould be established where this chemical is handled, used,or stored in compliance with OSHA Standard 1910.1045.Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilatedarea away from oxidizers. Sources of ignition, such assmoking and open flames, are prohibited where this chemical is used, handled, or stored in a manner that could createa potential fire or explosion hazard.

Purify chrysene by chromatography on alumina from pet ether in a darkened room. Its solution in *C6H6 is passed through a column of decolorising charcoal, then crystallised by concentrating the eluate. It has also been purified by crystallising from *C6H6 or *C6H6/pet ether, and by zone refining. [Gorman et al. J Am Chem Soc 107 4404 1985]. It is freed from 5H-benzo[b]carbazole by dissolving it in N,N-dimethylformamide and successively adding small portions of alkali and iodomethane until the fluorescent colour of the carbazole anion no longer appears when alkali is added. The chrysene (and alkylated 5H-benzo[b]carbazole) separate on addition of water. Final purification is by crystallisation from ethylcyclohexane and/or from 2-methoxyethanol [Bender et al. Anal Chem 36 1011 1964]. It can be sublimed in a vacuum. [Beilstein 5 IV 2554.]

Generally, disposal of PAH from the industrial plants, accidental release from the containers, smoke from plant, combustion, or automobile exhaust causes chrysene and other PAHs to enter the environment. Because of the poor water solubility and low vapor pressure, chrysene has limited chance to get washed away or evaporate in the environment. Therefore, it remains immobile in soils. If exposed to water, it gets absorbed on the particulate matters and either float or sediment on the riverbed. The rate of biodegradation in soil ranges from 77 to 387 days depending on the soil type.Chrysene does not undergo hydrolysis due to the lack of hydrolyzable functional groups. However, it undergoes photochemical oxidations when exposed to the environment. Dihydrodiol is the common degradation product of chrysene. Half-life of degradation of chrysene, absorbed to soot particles and exposed to sunlight in air containing 10 ppm nitrogen oxides is 26 days. The National Research Council (NRC 1983) noted that the PAHs adsorbed to soot particles are more resistant to photochemical reactions than pure compounds.