ABSTRACT
tert-Butyl acetate can be used as a solvent and its use as an antiknock agent in motor fuels has been suggested. Relatively minor amounts of tert-butyl acetate may be released to the environment at its manufacturing site via wastestreams. Solvent uses, if similar in nature to other butyl acetate isomers, would release tert-butyl acetate directly into the air by evaporation. Chemical hydrolysis of tert-butyl acetate in moist, very alkaline soils may be important, but hydrolysis in soils of pH 9 or lower is not expected to be important. Based on an estimated Koc value of 134, tert-butyl acetate may be subject to significant leaching in soil. tert-Butyl acetate will exist almost entirely in the vapor phase in the ambient atmosphere due to its expected high vapor pressure. Based on the log Kow, the BCF value for tert-butyl acetate can be estimated to be 6.6 by a recommended regression-derived equation. This BCF value suggests that bioconcentration is not significant.
