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Case Study

1) Vinyl acetate

Pure vinyl acetate is a colourless liquid form of organic compound at room temperature and
pressure with a chemical formula, CH3COCH=CH2. It is a prominent feed ingredient in polymer
industry as it is the sole monomer to form polyvinyl acetate in process included chain-growth in
solution, suspension and emulsion polymerization. The polymerized product is made as glues and
various adhesives for porous materials such as wood, paper and cloth. Vinyl acetate monomer is a
reactive and flammable chemical that produce a sweet fruity yet sharp and irritating odour at high
levels. It has a flash point below 37o C which means that it is readily form flammable vapour when
exposed and mixed with at regular room conditions. The main hazard of this type of monomer is
its ability to undergo uncontrolled polymerization if no proper handling and standard storage
procedure is taken. This is true especially for bulk polymerization. In fact, it is an undesired method
of polymerization in industries because a runaway or self-polymerization of fresh vinyl acetate can
happen and cause a pressure surge higher than 40 atmospheric bars which more than most pressure
vessel can contain. Such a dangerous reaction can happens even in long-term storage at ambient
environment because a slow thermal production of free radicals occurred in the bulk liquid
monomer. The presence of flammable solvent and electric statics also triggers the chain reaction.
Accumulation of such radicals proceeds with an initiation of chain polymerization of vinyl acetate
in airtight storage vessel in an absence of the reaction inhibitor. Since polymerization is exothermic,
the rise of temperature and pressure will subsequently cause a volume expansion strong enough to
rupture its container and burst into flame. Plus, the monomer subjected to prolonged or intense
exposure to heat, sunlight, ultraviolet light, X-rays and certain impurities may result in
polymerization at different rate as well.

Accident at Synthetic Resin Plant, Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

On 3rd August 1971, an accident occurred in a chemical factory that produces polymers in Ogaki,
Gifu Prefecture, Japan. A measuring drum containing vinyl acetate was caught fire in a storage
room. The direct cause of the accident that results in leakage and fire is the runaway reaction that
occurs in drum that contain the hazardous vinyl acetate which is left unchecked in storage for 2
months. Keeping the monomer fully in drum is analogous to the condition of the bulk
polymerization and the volume of vinyl acetate had been stored in the plant’s measuring 1000 L
aluminium drum was 940 litres. Investigation suggested that the monomer blew off from the gauge
of the measuring drum and was ignited by static electricity. The self-polymerization initiated and
cause the drum overheated along with an increasing pressure. Finally, the uncontrolled
accumulation of heat caused the drum ruptured and the subsequent fire in its vicinity. The indirect
cause is the temperature of the measuring drums is not being monitored regularly by inspecting
officer, thus, the reaction and leakage remained undetected until fire started. Another reason is that
there is no effective inhibitor added into the monomer bulk. The inhibitor known to be able to
stabilize the reactivity of vinyl acetate is hydroquinone (HQ), C6H6O2 another organic compound
derived from benzene, at ambient temperature. The rate at which HQ is consumed in usage depends
on factors such as storage conditions with temperature, oxygen concentration and presence of
reactive contaminants. In the accident, two persons were injured during their effort to extinguish
the fire while the only involved measuring drum was damaged severely at most.

Effect of the Vinyl Acetate

The effects that can be caused by the vinyl acetate can be categorized into two fields which is
about the health and also the environmental. While the workers had exposure to vinyl acetate by
the inhalation will has resulted in irritation to the upper respiratory tract, skin and also eyes.
Irritation, redness and swelling is the potential hazard to eyes. However, it will cause only for a
low acute toxicity by all routes of exposure. Then, the observations in rodents which acutely
exposed to high levels of vinyl acetate by inhalation is nasal irritation, labored breathing, lung
damage and convulsions. High level inhalation exposure to the vinyl acetate may cause the
pulmonary edema. Based on the report of lab experiment, the animal which is inhalation
exposure to vinyl acetate with high level had death due to the pulmonary edema. Moreover,
cancer effects had shown in laboratory animals because of lifetime drinking water or inhalation
exposure to vinyl acetate. The tumor had reported localize directly to attach the part with vinyl
acetate. Tumor which is observed at high exposure concentrations are not be considered to be
relevant to humans exposed to low concentrations which is under typical use situations. For the
environmental effects, vinyl acetate tends to stay in the air whereby it is degraded rapidly by
photochemical pathways. While vinyl acetate is released to soil or water, volatilization of vinyl
acetate could occur. Vinyl acetate had considered as non-harmful to the environment because of
mostly partitions of vinyl acetate to the water had undergoes hydrolysis and also readily for
biodegraded by either anaerobic or aerobic mechanisms. Besides that, the vinyl acetate is
considered as it will be moderately toxic to aquatic organisms.

References

Gustin, J. (2005). Understanding vinyl acetate polymerization accidents. Chemical Health and
Safety,12(6), 36-46. doi:10.1016/j.chs.2005.07.013

Case Details Fire due to spontaneous polymerization of vinyl acetate during long-term storage.
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.shippai.org/fkd/en/cfen/CC1000176.html

Essays, UK. (November 2013). Health and Safety in the Production Plant Environment.
Retrieved from http://twizarp.com/essays/health/health-safety-production-plant-8217.php?vref=1

Vinyl acetate. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-


09/documents/vinyl-acetate.pdf

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