CHEMICAL DATA NOTEBOOK SERIES #83: BUTYLAMINE
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Butylamine is a flammable, corrosive, toxic, irritating, colorless liquid with an ammonia-like odor. It is used to manufacture many classes of chemicals, including corrosion inhibitors, dyes, emulsifying agents, insecticides, pharmaceuticals, photographic developing materials, tanning agents, rubber, and other polymers.
PROPERTIES
The name butylamine stands for normal butylamine, which usually is written n-butylamine. N-butylamine is an isomer of secondary butylamine (written sec-butylamine or s-butylamine), tertiary butylamine (written tert-butylamine or t-butylamine), and isobutylamine. Isomers are chemical compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas.
A summary of the important firerelated properties of all four isomers are listed in the table at right.
All four butylamine isomers have the same molecular weight (73) since they all have the same molecular formula (that is, they all contain four carbon atoms, one nitrogen atom, and 11 hydrogen atoms). And since they all have the same molecular weight, they all have the same vapor density. They all are soluble in water.
HAZARDS
N-butylamine and its isomers have similar hazards. The biggest difference between them is the difference in flash points, which have a range of from – 40°F to 15°F.
Despite different flash points, all four isomers will produce vapors sufficient to form an ignitable mixture with the air near any release at most ambient temperatures, and their ignition temperatures are all within the reach of common ignition sources; in the case of a spill or unintentional release of any of the four isomers of butylamine, a serious fire hazard will exist. The toxicity, corrosiveness, and irritant properties also are similar and can be discussed in general terms.
Butylamine’s flammability is its greatest hazard. Its flash point is low enough that in the case of a release of the liquid, any common ignition source will produce an explosion of butylamine vapors in the air.
The high vapor density of butylamine means that its vapors will “hang” together for long distances as they flow downhill along low spots in the terrain, looking for an ignition source. When one is found, the vapors will explode and flash back to their source.
The lower flammable limit of butylamine means that it will be relatively easy for the vapors to enter the flammable range.
Another major hazard of butylamine is its corrosiveness. Butylamine is corrosive to human tissue, aluminum, copper, copper alloys, zinc, zinc alloys, and many types of rubber and plastics. This has serious implications if attempts are made to plug leaking containers of butylamine with rubber or plastic material.
Any skin contact with butylamine will cause severe burns, resulting in irreversible damage. Any skin contact even for a brief period of time will cause serious damage. Even diluted solutions can cause second-degree burns, so it is absolutely necessary that any person who might come in contact with butylamine wear skin protection. Prolonged contact not only will cause irreversible skin damage, but enough butylamine can be absorbed through the skin to cause symptoms serious enough to result in death.
Any eye contact with the pure material can cause blindness in a very short time. Blindness may result from contact with a solution containing only 10 percent butylamine, so a person who might come in contact with the product must wear eye protection at all times. With all the damage that can be caused by its corrosiveness, the problem of butylamine’s flammability is easy to overlook.
The other major hazard of the amines (hydrocarbon derivatives or derivatives of ammonia) is their toxicity. All of the amines are toxic to some degree. No TLV-TWA (threshold limit value-time weighted average) has been established for butylamine, but a TLV-C (threshold limit value-ceiling) has been established at five ppm (parts per million of air) for n-butylamine. Some material safety data sheets may record this value as strictly a TLV, which is not correct unless the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists has listed it as such. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has adopted the five ppm level as its PEL (permissible exposure limit).
Butylamine can be detected by smell at quantities under 0.1 ppm and is considered extremely unpleasant at 10 ppm for some and at 25 ppm for most. A concentration of 1,270 ppm has been reported to be fatal to half the rats exposed to this level for four hours. Butylamine vapors will irritate the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and lungs. High levels will cause anxiety, chest pains, coughing, faintness, headache, nausea, and eventually death. Ingestion of butylamine will cause irritation and burns of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. Many of the symptoms of inhalation will appear with ingestion, eventually leading to death.
Butylamine is considered a stable chemical, but it will react violently with acids, alcohols, glycol ethers, monomers, and oxidizing agents.
NONFIRE RELEASE
Butylamine is so hazardous that any sizable release should trigger a community’s emergency response plan. If the plan has been drawn up properly, all the community’s resources, including environmental experts, should stand ready to be mobilized.
Its other hazards notwithstanding, a butylamine release must be treated as a flammable liquid release, since flammability will be the first hazard to present itself at the scene. Approach the spill from upwind and uphill, and eliminate all ignition sources immediately, especially downwind.
However, since butylamine vapors are both corrosive and toxic, consider evacuation once the incident ground is secure. The evacuation radius will depend on the size of the release, the form of the release, the terrain, the exposures, the weather, and most importantly, the number and conditions of the people exposed. The original evacuation radius for a tank wagon or rail tank car may be a mile, with the distance expanded to two or more miles downwind. As always, the original evacuation radius should be determined by the incident commander, who should alter it from time to time as required.
The vapors of butylamine, being more than 2 ½ times heavier than air, will travel a great distance down low spots in the terrain if not dispersed by a breeze, wind, or other factors. These vapors will gather in low spots and enclosed spaces, presenting an explosive and/or toxic environment to anyone not protected.
If the leak through which butylamine liquid or vapors are escaping can be plugged with compatible materials, the plug may be inserted without creating sparks, and the emergency responders charged with this task are properly protected, make attempts to seal the leak. Realize, however, that plugging a leak in a material as hazardous as butylamine may not be easy, and skin or eye contact with the material must be scrupulously avoided.
Prevent any liquid that reaches the ground from spreading. Construct a containment pond by pushing up dirt, sand, or another absorbent material around the spill. If the proper equipment is available, dig a containment pit. Contact the shipper, seller, buyer, or a salvage firm to salvage the material by suctioning the liquid into secure containers.
Once the butylamine is contained, cover it with a layer of alcohol foam to slow the evolution of vapors. The foam layer may have to be replenished constantly and could be ineffective.
If the containment pond or pit is of sufficient size, add water to dilute the butylamine, thus slowing its evaporation. This technique will raise the flash point of the resulting aqueous solution, since it spreads the butylamine molecules throughout a great volume of liquid.
Use high-pressure water spray or fog to disperse butylamine vapors. This method also will dissolve a quantity of butylamine out of the air; the resulting contaminated water also will have to be contained.
Use nonsparking tools around butylamine as well as other flammable liquids. Remember, however, that tools made of nonsparking metals such as aluminum, copper, brass, or bronze will be seriously corroded by butylamine.
Prevent butylamine from entering sewer systems, waterways, and other bodies of water. Dike and/or plug all openings into sewers, and build dams or dikes wherever the liquid could enter the waterway or other body of water.
If the liquid enters a sewer, it will absorb the heat of the sewer and materials present and will evaporate quite rapidly (some of it also will dissolve in water that may be present). This rapid evaporation will fill the sewer with explosive vapors (some of which may move uphill a short way), producing a potentially explosive condition at every opening (manhole or catch basin) downstream of the entry. An ignition source at any of these openings carries the potential to cause a citywide explosion, depending on where and how much of the butylamine entered the system.
If butylamine enters a w aterway or body of water, it will dissolve. Although this lessens the chance of explosion by reducing evaporation, it also endangers all aquatic life and waterfowl. In addition, downstream users of the water, including industrial users, must now avoid it. The degree of contamination depends on how much butylamine has entered the water, how much water is present, and how fast the water is moving. Divert all water contaminated to a dangerous level to low-lying areas until it can be removed by agitation, aeration, or sparging. Environmental experts must make the final decision on when, if ever, previously contaminated water is pure enough to release back into a waterway.
FIRE SCENARIO
C ool containers of butylamine exposed to heat radiated from a fire or impinged on by direct flame by applying water from unmanned appliances from as great a distance as possible. Butylamine and its isomers are extremely volatile, and the heat absorbed by the container may increase the internal pressure so quickly that any safety relief devices will be defeated. The resulting catastrophic failure of the container and subsequent ignition of a large volume of vapors w ill produce a BLEVE (boiling-liquid, expanding-vapor explosion).
Extinguish any escaped liquid that has ignited with alcohol foam, carbon dioxide, dry chemicals, or a highpressure water spray or fog, depending on weather conditions, the amount spilled, the spill’s configuration, the terrain, and the amount of extinguishing agent available. Water may be ineffective but nevertheless can be used to cool the fire, protect exposures, and dilute the product.
In all cases, explosive reignition is possible after extinguishment. Firefighters must never get between a fire and containers of liquids or gases. In addition, containers holding liquids or gases that have been stressed by fire will become very unstable and should be handled only by salvage experts.
If the safety relief device is operating, butylamine vapors will be escaping under pressure and will ignite explosively after accumulating in large enough amounts. Once ignited, they should not be extinguished unless the flow of fuel can be stopped immediately after extinguishment.
Since butylamine contains nitrogen. the toxic combustion products of all the butylamine isomers will include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbon, water, and the nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides are a group of toxic gases whose effects on the lungs may be delayed up to 48 hours. Anyone exposed to the nitrogen oxides should be checked at a hospital for damage done to the lungs by the conversion of the nitrogen oxides into acids, particularly nitric acid.
IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS AND RATINGS
CAS
(Chemical Abstract Services)
n-butylamine: 109-73-9
tert-butylamine: 75-64-9
sec-butylamine: 13952-84-6
isobutylamine: 78-81-9
STCC
(Standard Transportation Commodity Code)
n-butylamine: 4908120
tert-butylamine: 4909134
isobutylamine: 4908186
RTECS
(Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances)
n-butylamine: E02975000
tert-butylamine: E03330000
sec-butylamine: E03325000
isobutylamine: NP9900000
UN/NA
(United Nations/North America)
n-butylamine: 1125
tert-butvlamine: 1125
sec-butylamine: 1125
isobutvlamine: 1214
CHRIS
(Chemical Hazard Response Information System)
n-butylamine: BAM
tert-butylamine: BUA
sec-butylamine: BTL
isobutylamine: IAM
DOT
(U.S. Department of Transportation)
Class 3, flammable liquid
NPFA 704 Rating
2–3-0
IMO
(International Maritime Organization)
3.2, flammable liquid
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Select protective clothing and equipment that provide maximum respiratory, eye, and skin protection against n-butylamine and its isomers. Regular turnout gear will not provide skin protection. Rubber boots, gloves, aprons, coveralls, and hoods may offer short-term protection against minor splashes, but total encapsulating suits will be required whenever a butylamine release occurs. Teflon® has been suggested as a material that will offer adequate protection against n-butylamine, and one source lists butyl rubber as adequate protection for tertbutylamine. There is no recommendation for sec-butylamine or isobutylarnine.
Contact the manufacturer of your department’s total encapsulating suits to determine if the suits offer adequate protection against butylamine. Also contact the butylamine’s manufacturer to ask about its protection recommendations.
Positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus is required to provide respiratory protection against butylamine vapors.
FIRST AID
Inhalation. Move the victim to fresh air, keeping him/her calm and warm. If the victim’s breathing has stopped or becomes labored, administer artificial respiration, being aware that such action might expose the first-aid giver to the material in the victim’s lungs and/or vomit. Seek immediate medical attention.
Eye contact. Flush the eyes immediately with water for at least 15 minutes, lifting the eyelids occasionally. Seek immediate medical attention to prevent permanent damage.
Skin contact. Wash the affected areas with large amounts of soap and water. Remove all contaminated clothing. If irritation continues after washing, seek medical attention concerning chemical absorption through the skin and sensitization.
Ingestion. If the victim is conscious, administer large quantites of water. Do not induce vomiting. Never try to make an unconscious person drink anything or try to make him/her vomit. Provide immediate medical attention.
SYNONYMS
n-butylamine:
1-aminobutane
1-butanamine
butan-1-amine
butylamine
monobutylamine
mono-n-butylamine
MNBA
normal butylamine
Norvalamine
sec-butylamine:
2-AB
2-aminobutane
Butalume
2-butanamine
Deccotane
Frucote
1 -methylpropylamine
Tutane
isobutylamine:
1 -amino-2-methylpropane
monoisobutylamine
Valamine
tert-bu tylam ine
2-aminoisobutane
2-amino-2-methylpropane
butylamine, tertiary
1,1 -dimethylethylamine
trimethylaminomethane
