Document 0qZ6R7dvd6XQn24a9DEx4Owgx

I ?WXJEB3 FOX IBS NUTOFACTUHB OP .? IgPHfflKL It &IWOWZ CopHod 1gr B. Hitbeir, BoTMbor 1950 Distribution Llsti , X. A. O'ImI, ft., London Ift. v B. Oarrstt, London 2ft. V. D. Soott, London 1ft. J. ft. Brough, London )ft. I). V. Thrift, London Bonbon Xssoaroh FUm (Ift.y.B.Xitohlo) ft. 0* Taylor, Bowpo^t (e) ft* F. J. 0. Burvood* Vooport (Asalytioal Motion only of tho report) Mr. 0* B. Durgla, Anniston Hr. A. K. SHsnbtrg, Anniston mt J. V. Of K.O.L., (at Anniston, BomSbor 1950) St. Louis Library 8t Loais H.O.L. fils (S OSU 000353 / OPTT.ng gp PROCESS A3 WORKED AT AJPOSTOX, 1950 Benzene vapour is passed continuously through Molten lead at a high tasg>arature, causing sane lGjf to 20 of the benzene to be converted, in a single pass through 3 load baths in series* Into a Mixture of diphenyl, terphenyl, etc, with the evolu tion of hydrogen. The resulting mixture of hydrogen with the reaction products and the unchanged benzene 1s passed up a fractionating column which has a condenser and reflux split box, so that the sensible beat of the vapours is used to give a rough separation ef the organic components of the Mixture. The fractionation system yields a forward flow of liquid benseae* and an taaderflow of a mixture of benzene* diphenyl* terphenyl, etc., while the hydrogen pasaee forward* saturated with benzeoe. This hydrogen atreaa is cooled and eoopreeeed for the recovery of More benzene. The coluasa xsadarflov is fractionally distilled batoharise at stmospherlo pressure to yield distillates of benzene and of saleable diphenyl, and of course* intermediate fractions which are recycled to the still. The still bottoms, containing the higher boiling coaponents of the mixture* are oalled crude Santowax. Some of the crude santowax Is distilled "straight-over", under vacuum, to yield Santowax 5, and some is put to permanent storage beoause the supply exoeeds the demand. Crude Santowax has also been distilled under vacuum* with fraotlonatloc, giving ortho terphenyl of about 9*% purity. Centrifuging of the distillate* or better, fractional distillstlon* gives a better product. The m*p fraction from distillation* has been allowed to cry stallize in pans* slurried with water at about 85C, centri fugated and washed is the centrifuge with hot water. The centrifuge oak* is then about 95% para terphenyl* The oil frost the centrifuge liquors* separated end dried* is oalled "Saatcmax X". See Anniston report #1924* jan.8/45. See page 50 below for a note on the flaking of Saatowaxea. All the recovered benzene is reoyaled and there is a pxmetloally continuous make-up of fresh material. This is believed to ensure the presence of a certain catalyst which is pressnt is the raw benzene, but eliminated by the processing. (See under "Comments on Process", page 111 below). OSW 000358 f osion C3DICB gy process & the Anniston Report l6tO, Oot.l5Al. F.X.Hubbard, also Mr. A* X. ELlsnburg's letter of April 28/^9/ eltlng B.X.O.S. to. reports on the "tube process, YU# research departments at Ruabon and Anniston agree in be lieving the tube process nay be superior to the lead pot prooess. Sons pilot plant work has been done In this direc tion at Anniston. See pec* below for the eholee of the method of recover ing benzene frcn the offgas. ai *i c QSM 000359 SATIETY COBS HERAT 1083 16 (Pro* Anal*ton report 1642 of October 1941, taction "Health At Fire Hazard*,", and froa dl*eta* Ion* at Annie ton in 1947 and I960). . Health It 1* obviously advisable for the operators to xlnlnl** their contact with benzene vapour* and with the vapour from the hot lead, but there 1* no history of trouble froa either of these In the Diphenyl plant. Ve are warned that laad vapour* ay be evolved during the burning out of lead traps and carbon traps. - Man lover grade benzene waa used for Making diphenyl In 1930-31, the operators in the Aroclor departaent suffered froa skin emotions (acm), thought possibly to be due to chlorine deri vatives froa styrene In the diphenyl. The disappearance of the trouble coincided with the change to better benzene. Tar a tlm the Aroclor operators had to bathe on leaving work and a change of work clothing was provided, but this practice was discontinued* -- See notes on pages 20 ft 82 below relating to the general venti lation of the building. Tire The conversion units contain hydrogen and organic vapours at high pressures and te^aretures so any failure of gaaketsL or of the units thsoselres any lead to the eeoepe of a cloud of inflaiaable vapour, near to the pot furnaces. The aaount of organic Material preamt In the conversion unit at any one event Is, however, quite aaall, and the flow of benzene to the units can be shut off froa outside the building. m the early days at Anniston, fires wsrs not infrequent, but there has been none of consequence in recent years. &pha*ls is laid on good workaanzhlp in the construction and Maintenance of the units. There were twelve conversion units at Anniston la Vovsadwr ' 1950, with their ooltaneand other auxiliary eqs1pant, two of the units being In one rooo, four in another, and six in a third roam. The three rooas are separated by fire walls with coaounioatlng doors, sons of than autooatloally closing, but held open by chains haring a fusible link. There are two DSW 000369 M>. 9. K. amlth, 7r St* Louis aohuudt? brwxb tsv* s* pauo sfflna sot JturavAOTcnns or c*i RAPHTHAUUES* cwmefeaeeft 0xnDBU in CELClflHATED fiZTHDRL ftrrngp You na)'.od about the second Item 1a this allied nrsnmeiiT which vo guoto as followsi . *As furthe'.' evidence or cooperation, the manufacturer agrees to Insert *>a all bills of aale the following notations ~ "rhla product la sold under direct agreement vlth the U. S* Public Health CoraIce and IT re-eold as aoeh or In mixtures thereof for further fabrication within the United 3tatos, it la nsoessary that such products bo labelled by you as follows* "This package contains (gone of Product) AVOID REPEATED CONTACT VXT3 THE SXZV AND tlSALATICK OP THE FUJBS AKD DUSTS*" * * _ Attached Is original end duplicate invoice blank shoving that oar bills ^f o*>lo i`o net carry tho nutation as civen In the second port of tho *-_vce?.ut a-jted. ab .vo. It vould be moat difficult to under* cc.-u... b-v . .---i c* our v cuatsucra could eemply v'.th this sc:~:u* to "ltc :zs i-rnsiple, vo r.ntion Plastics Film Csrp-Tit: .n. Sore Aroclsr 125* is used as aco of tho component pins l'.-..`.uc.-c in the film which Plastics Film Corporation thon soli I- varitua fabricators for fabrication. This, of course, represents resale of Aroclcrs In mixture with other Ingredients in vinyl, and would appear to com under the letter of the agree* seat'* novever, ae a result of this transaction Plastics film Corporation would not bo interested 1a stamping their vinyl fllsi with our Aroclor warning label* The wording of our Aroelor label about handling la relatively alia, yet* in a far instances we know that people not familiar with chemical products have mls-laterpmted It to on unjustifiable extent* cs the other bond* In the very few instances where misuse of Aroelor (especially st elevated temperetwes) bee led to lav oulta, it was highly deslrablo and protective to us In having our current label on the Aroelor packages * HONS 094551 5Laos the wording of tbs label vu formulated and put into os* Ida patch testa run under competent aedloal iuperrisloo indi cated that Aroolora are neither skin irritants nor skin sensl- tlters. This la ladle*tad In our literature, but of couree la not Intended to mean that people should bathe la Aroolor. Share are lnataaeea la the oaoBerelal uae of Aroolor there people l*ve iranorsod their araa up to the elbow, day In- and day out. In the liquid Arodors. and of course ve do not approve of this, * to fiveid such disuse of Aroclor, the wording oa our label to avoid ropeated contaet vita the skin seeae highly significant* Back in 1956 or thereabouts, vhea the Aroolor applications vere relatively few and the customers about equally few, there' vaa indeed the priis application of using Areolar 1254 as a chevlag gua plasticiser. The wording of our label vould not be coopa- tibia vlth thla sort of thing* * Since so many of the nev Aroolor applications involve their uae at levatod temperatures, the wording of the warning label to avoid inhalation of fusee is especially significant. Ve con stantly keep this factor la mind in our developnsnt work, sad emphasis* It In direct contacts as well os indlreot contacts such as our literature, while the toxicity haeard of Aroclor'e fumes is well established rnd should be thoroughly understood by all, yet, as ve go along ve find that ve are always confronted with violation* la oa* degree or another, and indeed, regard keeping in touch vlth these things to be a major responsibility in tbo prouutlwn of Aroolora, Jiv-iotiy j-leaking, the wa-ctur of inhaling Arcelor ousts might be vwl. the warning lao.-l, as surely moot of ch commonly used Arculcrs certainly arc not dusty, and tho powdered nnterlals such ns Aroolor 1263 and 1270 and 1271 are reported in the liter- uturo as being of a relatively lev order of toxicity. Thla Item on aust may apply la the case of unloading a drum of Aroolor 5460. Hofurring to the few deaths, and the relatively largo number of acne or dormatitls case* arising during the war, in connection vlth fabricators of Navy cable coating materials using a mixture of Aroelor 4465 and Halovax, there are tvo things to koep la mind* One Is that this combination of chlorinated hydrocarbon* is more toxio than the chlorinated biphenyl or terphenyls alonej and secondly. In this progran of operations, proper working facili ties end oleanllaess were overlooked* In faot, the workers' wives et home oven soqulred acne end dermatitis vhioh was traced back to the halogenated hydrocarbon compounds. HONS 094552 ".7 W t> . Zb the light of the isaedLlaatt#e tabboovre,| it li Interesting.to bee la Bind that ve are oiaamattiiiyr *--*Uing at leaat tvo tad ooe-fealf Billion pound* a jw of, paarrttic*-uTMlar*ly, , A*TMro,oAlUa,r 5^460 > boawt also acme Aroclor 4465 for hot uslt Impregnation of aabeatoa vound vire, and also a* impregnating agents used la tte construction c-f Uav;* j.-tble, . Zn ;-a=t, vhon the toxicology of Aroolore nay not have been pArt'.o'.Oarly voll understood, tala factor vm* certainly a beery Ijuv. in. .i Vw v'.rvclojEJont of these woduote, The subjeot rc>a*_-r:- nut Mt-/ eruiiost one In th* vorld to uoderstand, but la1 vicv ..f the large stafee that ve nonr have In the rather videspj'o.-Ml i:,/`a-!orc.'-"il use of Aroclore, ve constantly strive to learn ncro .a'jwut this subject of Aroclor toxicology and to safeguard against my v :s a'.bio hazard** ra Att. ? 0. Benignus MONS 094(553