Hazardous Substance Ecological Fact Sheet and Ecotoxicity Profile Acetonitrile

Abstract

Acetonitrile (ethanenitrile) is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. It is used as a solvent to extract and recover chemicals in the production of pharmaceuticals, plastics, and other products. It is also used in the photographic industry, in the extraction and refining of copper, in the textile and perfume industries, and in analytical chemistry laboratories. It is highly soluble in water, and may enter the aquatic environment via effluents from chemical plants where it is manufactured or used, municipal waste treatment plant discharges, or spills.