ABSTRACT
sec-Butyl alcohol enters the environment from natural sources as well as during its production and use in the manufacture of methyl ethyl ketone, its use as a solvent, and as an ingredient in paint remover and industrial cleaning agents. Based on limited information, it also appears to be released to the atmosphere in some combustion processes. sec-Butyl alcohol is produced naturally. sec-Butyl alcohol may be released to the environment during its production, transport, storage, and use. If released on land, sec-butyl alcohol will be expected to leach into the ground. Volatilization should also occur from dry soil. Based on the results of screening studies, sec-butyl alcohol will probably biodegrade. The fate of sec-butyl alcohol in water is not well known. sec-Butyl alcohol is readily biodegradable in screening tests which suggest that biodegradation may be a key factor in its removal from natural waters. In the atmosphere, sec- butyl alcohol will be lost by reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals.
