AMP becomes the only organic amine to receive VOC exemption from EPA_Industrial Additives

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has stipulated that the multifunctional coating additive 2-amino-2methyl-1-propanol (AMP; CAS=124-68-5) will no longer be a VOC regulated product. This decision has important implications for coatings. industry has a positive impact. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) subsequently revised the definition of VOC regulations in the Clean Air Act to remove AMP because this compound has little effect on ozone formation in the troposphere (ground level) of the air.

EPA stipulates that the definition of VOC is “excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metal carbides or carbonates, and ammonium carbonate, all carbon compounds participating in atmospheric photochemical reactions”, except that the EPA has confirmed that “negligible Photochemical reaction” compounds such as 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol. Therefore, basically all organic compounds are inevitably considered VOCs by the EPA.

“AMP is a multifunctional neutralizer, coupled with its potential to reduce ozone formation and good toxicity data, this product is preferred over other more toxic chemicals for the same use.” That’s how the EPA describes it in the final directive, citing a lower potential for ground-level ozone generation.

Due to the EPA’s decision, AMP became the only organic amine to receive a VOC exemption. The business implications of this decision make a lot of sense for manufacturers who face consumer and regulatory pressure to develop high-performance, low-VOC or no-VOC coatings.

AMP is a primary aminoalcohol with unique properties that make it valuable in many applications including pigment dispersion, wash resistance and neutralization. This compound has become a key component in many water-based coatings. Due to its new VOC exempt status, coating companies can safely add it to their products without worrying about increased VOC levels.

This regulation also means that paint manufacturers can circumvent this by using inefficient neutralizers such as sodium hydroxide and ammonia – which, since they are not carbon compounds, are not regulated by the EPA – and the attendant undesirable consequences. side effect. For example, sodium hydroxide has operational risks and the pH value is difficult to control, while ammonia is usually considered harmful and toxic to the environment, and has an unpleasant smell, which will initially reduce the water resistance of the product.

As coatings companies know well, environmentally conscious consumers are increasingly demanding VOC-free and low-VOC coatings. This pressure is driving formulators to use materials that both improve performance and are environmentally friendly. . Various national regulations and industry standards have also begun to be implemented, strictly limiting the VOC content standards in each can of paint.

Given the realities in these markets, Angus wrote and submitted a petition to the EPA to exclude AMP from the definition of VOC under the U.S. Clean Air Act. The complaint is supported by an independent testing laboratory’s findings on the potential for ozone formation, data on stratospheric ozone depletion and the potential for climate change impacts such as global warming, as well as toxicological data showing A good mammalian and environmental toxicity profile has been developed.

Detailed explanation of AMP

AMP has a molecular weight of 89, a boiling point of 165ºC, and a vapor pressure of 0.34 mm Hg at 20ºC. Pure chemicals are gel-like crystals that are easily miscible with water (see Figure 1).

Due to its versatility and multifunctional properties, AMP is suitable for many types of latex paints. In a coating, many additives can only improve one performance. AMP provides a variety of performance improvements, including dispersion, alkalinity control, film formation and low odor. Its versatility can reduce the addition of other additives, such as anionic dispersants, defoamers and wet edge agents; it can improve performance and, in some cases, formulators can save costs by reducing dosage.

AMP is widely used in latex paints and alkyd resin coatings to enhance the compatibility of a variety of materials, and is also applicable in a variety of other fields, including metalworking fluids and personal care products. But when AMP has long been a powerful and multifunctional additive, previous manufacturers had to treat it as a VOC. After all, that is how it is classified in the United States. These factors have limited the use of AMP in premium coatings from the outset.

In light of growing consumer and regulatory demand for environmentally sustainable coatings, Angus identified a business need to review the AMP classification under the Clean Air Act.

Why does the EPA control VOCs?

The main components of ground-level ozone are two types of chemicals, VOCs and nitrogen oxides. Volatile organic pollutants (VOCs) are released from many sources, including refineries, chemical production and vehicles that burn gasoline. Solvents in paints and other consumer products and commercial products often contain VOCs. Nitrogen oxides are produced when cars and other sources such as power plants and industrial boilers burn fossil fuels like petroleum, coal or oil. VOC and nitrogen oxides are polluted in the air

Ozone is formed when a reaction occurs when exposed to light. It takes several hours from the time a pollutant enters the air for ground-level ozone to reach health-damaging concentrations. Weather conditions and topography also affect where and how ground-level ozone forms; high concentrations of ground-level ozone can sometimes persist for multiple days under certain conditions.

Ground ozone is the main component of smog, which��Also contains carbon particles and industrial soot. Ground-level ozone can cause human health problems and harm the natural environment and crops. Repeated exposure to ozone can make people more susceptible to respiratory illnesses and can worsen pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma. Children and outdoor workers are particularly sensitive to ozone pollution because they often work or play outdoors, especially during the daytime hours in the summer when ozone levels are highest. During moderate exposure to low levels of ozone, people with asthma—even vigorous, healthy adults—can experience a decrease in lung function and an increase in respiratory symptoms, such as chest pain and coughing. Because of ozone’s adverse health effects, the Environmental Protection Agency and the federal government limit the amount of VOCs that can be released into the atmosphere.

The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to create national ambient air quality standards based on the latest technology to identify common and widespread air pollutants. Ozone is one of these pollutants. The EPA has established air quality standards for six common “criteria pollutants”: suspended particulates (aka particle pollution), ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead. The Clean Air Act and industrial air quality standards have resulted in product formulation adjustments, with many products reducing VOC content. This has also resulted in a lot less smog in cities across the United States and cleaner air.

EPA’s VOC regulatory definition

The road to VOC exemption starts with MIR

MIR is the abbreviation of maximum reaction increment. One of the most important influencing factors in the EPA’s classification of VOC compounds under the Clean Air Act is whether they participate in the generation of ground-level ozone. Currently, the impact on ground-level ozone is quantified using MIR, which detects the increase in ozone production when a substance, such as AMP, is added to a specially designed chamber containing a well-defined gas. The MIR value represents the degree of photochemical reaction activity and can be measured directly or derived from a computer that builds a photochemical reaction model that assumes the compound has full ozone-generating activity.

EPA uses ethane reactivity as a critical value to determine whether a compound has negligible reactivity. Under certain experimental conditions, compounds with reactive activities lower than or equal to that of ethane can be considered to have a negligible photochemical reaction and so are appropriately excluded from the VOC definition. Compounds with higher reactivity than ethane are still identified as VOC regulatory targets and thus included in the scope of control. Ethane was selected as the critical compound based on a series of smoke chamber experiments conducted under EPA regulations.

Under contract from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), an independent laboratory run by Dr. William P. L. Carter of the University of California conducted experiments on AMP, testing its activity levels for all atmospheric reactions. Dr. Carter conducted research on AMP in the smog experimental chamber; based on the developed chemical mechanism, the complete ozone generation was simulated and carried out for a whole day under actual atmospheric conditions. The results show that the MIR value of AMP is 0.25g ozone/g VOC, which is lower than the MIR value of the standard chemical ethane, which is 0.28g ozone/g VOC.

Due to the low MIR value of AMP, as well as its good toxicological profile and low global warming potential, Angus requested that the EPA revise the VOC definition to meet the national ambient air quality standards in the state implementation plan. This Ozone in standards under Title 1 of the Clean Air Act. Based on the fact that AMP has little impact on the formation of tropospheric ozone, the proposed amendment would add AMP to the list of exempt compounds defined by VOCs.

EPA’s rapid review

EPA regulations exclude extremely small reactive organic compounds from the definition of VOC, making it easier to focus VOC control on those compounds that significantly increase ozone concentration. In October 2012, Angus submitted an application to the EPA to exempt AMP from regulation as a VOC. The application includes independent MIR detection data provided by Dr. Carter, indicating that AMP has the conditions to replace VOCs as a priority. The company emphasizes the urgency of the situation, stating in the petition: “Manufacturers and formulators of water-based coatings need to add AMP to their products to address VOC restrictions without degrading product performance. VOC has a lower MIR than ethane’s AMP.” exemption, AMP will continue to be the preferred additive. Companies must act now and not let meaningless formula changes lead to losses.”

After an 18-month review and a 60-day discussion period, EPA issued a final determination that, effective June 25, 2014, the identifiable compound AMP will no longer be regulated under the Clean Air Act [40 CFR 51.100(s) )] is a VOC.

Conclusion

Now AMP’s VOC exemption from the Clean Air Act has passed. Angus expects U.S. formulators to continue using AMP as one of the most effective products in the next generation of improved environmentally friendly coatings. In addition, Angus also expects to see continued use of AMP as a multifunctional neutralizer in other markets, including metalworking fluids and personal care products.