Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 2.8 Selected Chemical and Physical and Properties of the
Bitterant Additive Bitrex
Parameter
Bitrex (Denatonium Benzoate)
Molecular formula
C 28 H 34 N 2 O 3
Molecular weight (g/mol)
446.5
Specific gravity
1.12
Boiling point
UNK
Log K ow (
)
0.9
Henry's constant
UNK
Solubility (water) (mg/l at 20 C)
45,000
Solubility (methanol) (mg/l at 20 C)
690,000
Vapor pressure (atm)
UNK
Appearance
White granules
Note: UNK, Unknown or information not available.
Source: Macfarlan Smith Material Safety Data Sheets.
A possible bitterant candidate is denatonium benzoate, or “Bitrex,”
which has become a widely used defensive measure to prevent ingestion
of products from several industries, including denatured alcohols,
medicinal wipes, rubbing alcohol, pesticides, plant nutrients, antifreeze,
brake fluid, polishes, cleaners, and disinfectants. Bitrex is also used as a
nail-biting deterrent. Preliminary estimates indicate that 10 ppm of
Bitrex by volume in M100 would be sufficient to prevent ingestion
of methanol. Selected chemical and physical properties for Bitrex are
listed in Table 2.8.
According to Material Safety Data Sheets and Bitrex information
sheets provided by its Macfarlan Smith distributor, Bitrex is generally
stable at neutral pH values for up to two years (Bitrex, 1998). Although
no transformation of Bitrex has been observed in acidic conditions,
under alkaline conditions it is converted to a hydroxide salt. Chemical
or physical variations would not affect the performance of Bitrex since
the bitter quality is imparted by the denatonium cation, which remains
in solution.
The solubility and octanol-water partition coefficient of Bitrex
indicate that it would be less soluble in water than methanol. The
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