What is MCHM used for?

What is MCHM used for?

MCHM is used in washing coal, helping separate the burnable fossil fuel from the unburnable rock and dirt and other impurities. In the taxonomy of chemistry, it’s an alcohol, which means a molecule with a hydrogen atom and an oxygen atom bound to one of its carbon atoms.

What is crude MCHM?

Crude 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) is an industrial solvent used to clean coal. Approximately 10 000 gallons of a liquid mixture containing crude MCHM were accidently released into the Elk River in West Virginia in January 2014.

Who was responsible for the Elk River chemical spill?

– The former president of Freedom Industries was sentenced today to 30 days in federal prison, to be followed by a six-month term of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine for environmental crimes connected to the 2014 Elk River chemical spill, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.

What happened Elk River chemical spill?

On January 9th 2014, a faulty storage tank leaked 10,000 gal of an industrial coal processing liquid into the Elk River in West Virginia (WV), contaminating the drinking water of the nine counties collectively known as the Kanawha Valley.

Where is MCHM found?

MCHM was the largest component of a mixture of chemicals that leaked from a corroded commercial storage tank upstream of the water supply for some 300,000 people. At the time of the spill, little was known about MCHM, an alicyclic alcohol used to process coal.

Is it safe to drink tap water in West Virginia?

Study Finds West Virginia Counties Among ‘Worst in Nation’ For Drinking Water Violations. A new study released Tuesday by three environmental groups found more than half of West Virginia counties rank among the worst in the nation for violations of a federal law that protects the quality of drinking water in the U.S.

What is Methylcyclohexanemethanol used for?

4-methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) is a chemical used to process coal. MCHM does not explode or catch fire. As a class of organic alcohols, it has an obvious odor and is reported to smell like licorice.

What is the chemical PPH?

Glycol Ether PPH, also known as Propylene Glycol Phenyl Ether, is a slow evaporating glycol ether. The substance is a clear, slightly yellow liquid and it’s odor is low and faint. It is very hydrophobic, while it’s molecular weight is heavier than other similar solvents.

How long did the Elk River chemical spill last?

The Elk River chemical spill contaminated the public water supply of approximately 300 000 people. Water use was not restored to the entire affected community for 8 days, and the state of emergency lasted 50 days.

How much did it cost to clean up the Elk River spill?

A local research group has calculated that roughly $61 million was lost by local businesses as a result of the chemical spill into the Elk River. The Center For Business and Economic Research at Marshall University conducted a preliminary investigation on the impact of the January 9th chemical spill into the Elk River.

How long did the WV water crisis last?

The analysis found millions of people across the country, including 912,650 people in West Virginia, consumed water from drinking systems that were out of compliance with the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), at various points between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2019.

What is propylene glycol phenyl ether?

Glycol Ether PPH CAS: 770-35-4 Glycol Ether PPH, also known as Propylene Glycol Phenyl Ether, is a slow evaporating glycol ether. The substance is a clear, slightly yellow liquid and it’s odor is low and faint.

How did the Elk River freedom Industry effect the area?

Following the spill, up to 300,000 residents within nine counties in the Charleston, West Virginia metropolitan area were without access to potable water. The areas affected were portions of Boone, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam, and Roane counties and the Culloden area of Cabell County.

Is WV tap water safe to drink?

Can you drink the water in WV?

West Virginia American Water decided by January 13 that the water was again safe to drink, because the concentration of MCHM had fallen below one part per million.

Does whiskey contain methanol?

Methanol is found naturally in fruit juice and distilled spirits such as whiskey, wine, and beer. A typical glass of wine contains a small amount of methanol, from 0.0041 to 0.02 percent by volume. In comparison, the same glass will have about 10-15 percent ethanol.