5.

Environmental impact & safety

5.1 Environmental impact

There are some impacts on the exposition of using cumene in the health of human and the
issues that the cumene causes to the environment. Within the environment cumene plays an
effective role in the defilement of air, residue, exterior, likewise is a contaminant on the ground
water; as well as threatening the safety of vegetation. The most effective hazards of cumene;
occurs from staffing of food more than that of contamination of air which causes inspiration
issues and thus occurs through fumigation burning of petroleum yields.

Cumene is sent out to the environment and occurs in different figures in the environment as an
outcome of its manufacture, handling, or through transportation, as well as through burning of
petroleum and the fumigation, moreover, over exhaustion of cigarette tobacco; it liberates
cumene to the environment. The emission of cumene is evaluated to be about 21 million every
year. Cumene can be liberated through many industries like the paint, pharmaceutical,
fabrication, textiles industries, Moreover, the exhaust of jet engine. It emitted from the
alignment, pointing of ink, printing, ore and coal mining, industrialization of pesticides,
plastics, electroplating, and offspring of paper.

Cumene takes place in a natural figure without any manufacturing like in some important oils
that are produced from plants and in diversity of many food kit. In 1976, over lake called
Michigan, samples are gathered for determining how much percent of cumene is found in air;
it is explored to be about 0.49 Mg/ m³, and many other places like near Houston and in Los
Angeles in 1966, it is exposed to be within the range of 2.45 – 36 Mg/ m³. It is discovered that
places which is near from shell oil refinery with max 144 Mg/ m³.

Water test is made for different samples, in northeastern Wyoming, it is about 19 ppb of
cumene. Offshore oil yield is about 140 ppb in the US towns, it is explored that drinking is
contaminated by cumene and also sediments. The threshold limit value- time weighted average
is 50 ppm for cumene; this value represents how much cumene can be inhaled and if it passes
over it, thus will lead to some issues may be occur.

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For Human Data: There is no actual evidence or report shows that there is a link between human
cancer and the exposure to cumene. Relatively if human exposure short- time period to cumene
thus will yield vertigo, sleepiness, headache, and senseless. It also may cause skin and eye
issues.

For Animals Data: Researches were made in 1996 in some animals to determine what happens
when they exposed to the vapors of cumene. It was discovered from the symptoms that
appeared is the expansion of the skin blood vessels, nervous system disorder, also it may reach
to depression symptoms appeared which leads to death, but this relied on the period of exposure
to cumene. It was found that when rats are exposure to cumene every day for about 5 months
for 500 ppm; the risks were signs in flu in lungs and congestion in kidneys and liver through
inhalation.

5.2 Toxicity

In March 2016; According to the National Fire Protection Association: It was discovered that
the quantity of Cumene in range from 86 mg to 500 mg; Toxicity was mild if rabbits exposed
to it daily for eyes irritation. For skin: the toxicity was found it from 10 mg to 100 mg is mild
also. According to the National Fire Protection Association: It is shown that the UFL of
Cumene by volume which is the upper flammability limit is 6.5 %; which means if the percent
exceeds 6.5% ignition and fire will occur. The lower flammability limit by volume (LFL) was
found 0.9 %, which means that if it is less this percentage also there is a formation of flammable
so, the flammability limits of Cumene should be between 0.9 % - 6.5 %.

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5.3 Hazards & Safety

The first commendation published is from the international chemical safe card (ICSCD70);
discovered that from the risks: is blazing which, leads to fainting when exposition to very high
concentrations, and the ordinary exposure leads to neural system issues. According to health
control duties; decisions should be taken if laborers naked to cumene to be limited by some
instructions. If there is any chemical accident like spillage of cumene, gauge should be taken
before it going to drainage outlet or any water sources. From the prevention and the
instructions, is to place and store cumene far from intense oxidants and acids because, thus
leads to the consistence of peroxides explosion.

As shown in this table what are the hazards and the safety instructions:

Different sorts of Hazards Intense Symptoms Protection

Combustion (calcination) High rate of fire. Ban of smoking & sparks.

Blast When temperature exceeds A locked system for

31°c, explosion occurs. ventilation should be used in
addition to prohibit setting
up an electrostatic charge.
Inspiration Sleepiness, vertigo, Breathing prevention and
headache, and senseless. this happens by ventilation.
Eyes Ruddiness & suffering. Using safety glasses.

Skin Arid skin. Wear preservative gloves

and clothes.
(Table 1).

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/cumene#section=Toxicity

https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/chem_background/exsumpdf/cumene_508.pdf

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/cumene.pdf

https://www.who.int/ipcs/publications/cicad/cicad18_rev_1.pdf

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