Carbon disulfide: Encyclopedia - Carbon disulfide

Carbon disulfide

Carbon disulfide (CS₂) is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor that is like the smell of chloroform. It has a melting point of -111^oC and a boiling point of 46^o, and a density of 1250kg/m³ at room temperature. The impure carbon disulfide that is usually used in most industrial processes is a yellowish liquid with an unpleasant odor, like that of rotting radishes, that contains traces of other sulphurous species, such as carbonyl sulfide (COS).

Carbon disulfide evaporates at room temperature, and the vapor is more than twice as heavy as air. It easily explodes in air and catches fire very easily.

In nature, small amounts of carbon disulfide are found in gases released to Earth's surface as, for example, in volcanic eruptions or over marshes. Commercial carbon disulfide is made by combining carbon and sulfur at very high temperatures.

It is used to manufacture regenerated cellulose (the main ingredient of viscose rayon and cellophane), carbon tetrachloride and organic sulfur compounds including dithiocarbamates, dmit, mnt, xanthates, used as flotation agents in mineral processing, and Metham sodium soil fumigant.

Synonym: dithiocarbonic anhydride.

Carbon disulfide - Health effects

At very high levels, carbon disulfide may be life-threatening because of its effects on the nervous system. People who breathed carbon disulfide near an accident involving a derailed railroad car showed changes in breathing and some chest pains, although these are probably due to the sulfur oxides formed in the ensuing fire.

Some workers who breathed high levels during working hours for at least 6 months had headaches, tiredness, and trouble sleeping, in some cases even serious central and peripheral nervous system disease such as toxic encephalitis and peripheral mixed neuropathy . Most of these data come from the Viscose rayon Industry,where small amounts of H2S may also have been present. Among workers who breathed lower levels, some developed very slight changes in their nerves. An increased risk of cardiovascular death has also been established in several countries.

Studies in animals indicate that carbon disulfide can affect the normal functions of the brain, liver, and heart. After pregnant rats breathed carbon disulfide in the air, some of the newborn rats died or had birth defects.

Liquid carbon disulfide has caused skin burns when the chemical accidentally touched people's skin.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Carbon disulfide", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki