G. Lunn et Eb. Sansone, OXIDATION OF 1,1-DIMETHYLHYDRAZINE (UDMH) IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION WITH AIR AND HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE, Chemosphere, 29(7), 1994, pp. 1577-1590
The degradation of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH), a component of some r
ocket fuels, was investigated using atmospheric oxygen and hydrogen pe
roxide. The reactions were carried out in the presence and absence of
copper catalysis and at varying pH. Reactions were also carried out in
the presence of hydrazine, a constituent, along with UDMH, of the roc
ket fuel Aerozine-50. In the presence of copper, UDMH was degraded by
air passed through the solution; the efficiency of degradation increas
ed as the pH increased but the carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA
) was formed at neutral and alkaline pH. Oxidation was not seen in the
absence of copper. Production of NDMA occurred even at copper concent
rations of < 1 ppm. Oxidation of UDMH with hydrogen peroxide also gave
rise to NDMB. When copper was absent degradation of UDMH did not occu
r at acid pH but when copper was present some degradation occurred at
all pH levels investigated. The production of NDMA occurred mostly at
neutral and alkaline pH. In general, higher concentrations of hydrogen
peroxide and copper favored the production of NDMA. Dimethylamine, me
thanol, formaldehyde dimethylhydrazone, formaldehyde hydrazone, and te
tramethyltetrazene were also produced. The last three compounds were t
ested and found to be mutagenic.