ABSTRACT
Acetophenone is released to the environment from a variety of combustion processes and may be released during its manufacture and the manufacture of propylene oxide, krafit bleaching and its use in certain perfumes. If released to soil, microbial degradation is likely to be the major degradation pathway. Acetophenone is released into the atmosphere from vehicular exhausts, waste incineration, residential fuel oil, coal combustion, and vaporization of certain perfumes. A number of biodegradation studies with sewage and natural water serving as inoculum for microbial organisms have shown that acetophenone is readily biodegradable. Based on its vapor pressure, acetophenone is likely to exist in the vapor phase in the atmosphere. Based on the Henry's Law constant, the volatilization half-life of acetophenone from a model river 1 m deep flowing at 1 m/sec with a wind speed of 3 m/sec is estimated to be 3.8 days.
