For more information on 1,4-Dioxane, please contact:

Marti Otto
Technology Assessment Branch
PH: (703) 603-8853 | Email: otto.martha@epa.gov

1,4-Dioxane (C₄H₈O₂, CAS No. 123-91-1) also can be identified as dioxane, dioxan, p-dioxane, diethylene dioxide, diethylene oxide, diethylene ether, or glycol ethylene ether.

A colorless, flammable liquid with a faint, pleasant odor, the synthetic industrial chemical is used as a solvent for extracting animal and vegetable oils and in the formulation of inks, coatings, and adhesives. In the laboratory, 1,4-dioxane is useful as a cryoscopic solvent for molecular mass determinations and as a stable reaction medium for diverse reactions. 1,4-Dioxane is used primarily as a solvent in paints, varnishes, lacquers, cosmetics, deodorants, cleaning and detergent preparations, and in scintillating fluids. Literature searches also indicated the potential for use as a solvent in the processing of crude petroleum, petroleum refining, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, explosives, commercial printing, electroplating/polishing, pesticide and agricultural manufacture, dyes, fiber manufacture, pharmaceuticals, adhesives, semiconductors, electronic components, photographic equipment, magnetic recording media, polymers, plastics, rubber manufacture, and organic and inorganic chemical manufacture. 1,4-Dioxane often has been used with chlorinated solvents, particularly 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), as a stabilizer and corrosion inhibitor.

When 1,4-dioxane is used as a solvent stabilizer, the solvent itself is regulated as hazardous waste. When applied as an additive, 1,4-dioxane is not used for its solvent properties and does not meet the regulatory definition of solvent. 1,4-Dioxane generally is listed with a group of pollutants in state and federal guidance for air pollution control and release reporting and in water pollutant control and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting.

1,4-Dioxane is highly flammable and potentially explosive if not stored properly. The chemical is a cyclic ether that is highly miscible in water; in fact, it mixes with water so readily that it can be found in ground-water plumes far in advance of any solvents with which it might have entered the subsurface originally. It also migrates rapidly in soil. 1,4-Dioxane contamination often can be found in association with releases of chlorinated solvents.

EPA has listed the compound as a probable human carcinogen based on the results of animal studies, but little information is available on the long-term effects of 1,4-dioxane on human health.

The compound does not respond to air stripping or granular activated carbon treatment, nor does it biodegrade in the subsurface other than very slowly. Researchers are developing new treatment technologies for 1,4-dioxane, but advanced oxidation processes involving hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light or ozone have been applied successfully, and phytoremediation shows promise for its removal at depths accessible to plant roots.

1, 4-Dioxane Fact Sheet: Support Document (CAS No. 123-9-1)
U.S. EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) Chemical Fact Sheet.
EPA 749-F-95-010a, 13 pp, 1995.

1,4-Dioxane: Priority Existing Chemical No. 7
National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme.
AusInfo, Commonwealth of Australia, ISBN: 0-642-47104-5, 125 pp, 1998.

Emerging Contaminant - 1,4 Dioxane
U.S. EPA, Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office
EPA 505-F-09-006, 4 pp, 2009.

This fact sheet provides a brief summary for 1,4-dioxane, including physical and chemical properties; environmental and health impacts; existing federal and state guidelines; detection and treatment methods; and additional sources of information. This fact sheet is intended for use by site managers faced with addressing 1,4-dioxane at a cleanup site or in drinking water supplies and for those in a position to consider whether 1,4-dioxane should be added to the analytical suite for site investigation.

Groundwater Information Sheet: 1,4 Dioxane
California State Water Resources Control Board, 7 pp, 2009.

The purpose of this groundwater information sheet is to provide general information regarding 1,4 dioxane. Information, compiled by the staff of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, is pulled from a variety of sources and relates mainly to drinking water. For additional information, consult the references cited at the end of the information sheet.

Solvent Stabilizers: White Paper
Thomas K.G. Mohr. Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Jose, CA. 55 pp, 2001.
Contact: Tom Mohr, tommohr@scvwd.dst.ca.us

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Last updated on Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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