health and safety plan solid waste management unit assessment

MBTHYL ETHYL KETONE 41-10
ketone that has been released from the soil into the air will
return to the soil via atmospheric washout or eventually ua
photochemical oxidation.
Methyl ethyl ketone is expected to be susceptible to exten
microbial biodegradation in pure cultures, mixed cultures, and a<
vated sludge systems (1137). Several authors (1132,1133) have repor
the biodegradation of methyl ethyl ketone by microbes grown on propar
or by soil bacteria grown on Cl-C8 aliphatic hydrocarbons; oxidati
was observed even where methyl ethyl ketone was unable to suppol
growth of the organism. Methyl ethyl ketone degradation by one of fou
tested yeast cultures was also reported (1131).
After five days of incubation, degradation of methyl ethyl ketone,
as determined by BOD, tests with acclimated sewage seed or microbes
from polluted waters, ranged from 48% to 88%: degradation after 20 days
was ob,served to be 69% to 89% (880,881,882,1127). Dojlido (1135)
reported 100% degradation in 8 days for 200 mg/L methyl ethyl ketone
and in 9 days for 400 mg/L. G~OU & d. (1126) report 77% utilization
of methyl ethyl ketone in an anaerobic reactor: the same authors report
100% anaerobic degradation by enriched methane cultures after an 8-day
lag.
In actual soil/ground-water systems, the concentration of microorganisms
capable of biodegrading methyl ethyl ketone may be low, and
is. expected to drop off sharply with increasing depth; prediction of
biodegradation rates in the environment is not possible. However, in
environments with sufficient microbial populations, methyl ethyl ketone
is not expected to persist.
41.2.3 Primary Routes of Exposure from Soil/Ground-water Systems
The above discussion of fate pathways suggests that methyl ethyl
ketone has a moderate volatility, is very weakly adsorbed to soil, and
has 'no significant potential for bioaccumulation. This compound may
volatilize from the soil surface, but that portion not removed by
volatilization is likely to be mobile in ground water. These fate
characteristics suggest several potential exposure pathways.
Volatilization of methyl ethyl ketone from a disposal site could
result in fnhalatfon exposure to workers or residents in the area. In
addition, the potential for ground water contamination is high,
particularly in sandy soils. It has been detected in ground water
associated'with hazardous waste sites. Mitre (83) reported that ,methyl
ethyl ketone has been found at 10 of the 546 National Priority List
(NPL) sites. It was detected at 4 sites in ground water, 4 in surface
water, and 4 in air. However, it may not be commonly analyzed for at
NPL sites as it is not a priority pollutant. These data, as well as
the properties of methyl ethyl ketone, suggest that drinking water
exposure from ground water contamination is likely to be' its primary
route of exposure from soil/ground-water systems.
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