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Acetona
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Nombre IUPAC
Propanona
General
Otros nombres Dimetilcetona
Acetona
ß-cetopropana
Fórmula semidesarrollada CH3(CO)CH3
Fórmula estructural Imagen de la estructura
Fórmula molecular C3H6O
Solubilidad
Biofermentación
Oxidación de polipropileno
Oxidación de diisopropilbenceno
EE.UU.
Miles de toneladas:
La acetona es uno de los disolventes generales que más empleo tienen en la técnica industrial y
profesional, debido a sus excelentes propiedades disolventes. Es un eficaz quitamanchas y es
muy utilizado para quitar el esmalte de las uñas.
La repartición de las aplicaciones del uso de acetona en los EE.UU. se encontraba en el 2002 en
los siguientes segmentos:4
La acetona se forma en la sangre cuando el organismo utiliza grasa en vez de glucosa como
fuente de energía. Si se forma acetona, esto usualmente indica que las células carecen de
suficiente insulina o que no pueden utilizar la presente en la sangre para convertir glucosa en
energía. La acetona sigue su curso corporal hasta llegar a la orina. El aliento de personas que
tienen gran cantidad de acetona en el organismo exhala olor a fruta y a veces se le denomina
"aliento de acetona".
Riesgos para la salud
Frasco de cristal con acetona
Si una persona se expone a la acetona, ésta pasa a la sangre y es transportada a todos los órganos
en el cuerpo. Si la cantidad es pequeña, el hígado la degrada a compuestos que no son
perjudiciales que se usan para producir energía para las funciones del organismo. Sin embargo,
respirar niveles moderados o altos de acetona por períodos breves puede causar irritación de la
nariz, la garganta, los pulmones y los ojos; dolores de cabeza; mareo; confusión; aceleración del
pulso; efectos en la sangre; náusea; vómitos; pérdida del conocimiento y posiblemente coma.
Además, puede causar acortamiento del ciclo menstrual en mujeres.
Tragar niveles muy altos de acetona puede producir pérdida del conocimiento y daño a la
mucosa bucal. El contacto con la piel puede causar irritación y daño a la piel.
El aroma de la acetona y la irritación respiratoria o la sensación en los ojos que ocurren al estar
expuesto a niveles moderados de acetona son excelentes señales de advertencia que pueden
ayudarlo a evitar respirar niveles perjudiciales de acetona.
Acetone
Published November 2016
About 97% of the world's acetone production is as a by-product of phenol production. Therefore,
a lot of the trends in the phenol industry also apply to acetone. The global acetone industry is
driven by the solvents sector, which represents 34% of global demand, and in 2016, 42% of the
global demand for solvents came from Northeast Asia. Global solvent demand from acetone will
continue to maintain a healthy growth rate of 3.7% to 2021. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is the
second-largest end use for acetone. In 2016, global demand for MMA resin accounted for 26%
of total acetone consumption. Bisphenol A is the third-largest demand sector. However, by the
end of the forecast period, bisphenol A demand will exceed that of MMA, growing at 3.3% per
year over the next five years to 2021.
Acetone (dimethyl ketone, 2-propanone, CH3COCH3) is a clear, colorless, volatile liquid with a
sweet odor. It is both the simplest aliphatic ketone and the most commercially important. Nearly
all world production of acetone is via cumene peroxidation, as a coproduct with phenol. Its main
chemical use is as an intermediate in the manufacture of acetone cyanohydrin for methyl
methacrylate (MMA), bisphenol A (BPA), and aldehyde and alcohol (aldol) chemicals. Direct
solvent applications account for a large portion of world demand.
The following pie chart shows world consumption of acetone:
For several reasons, acetone supply tends to be in excess globally. For roughly every two units of
phenol produced, one unit of acetone is produced. While bisphenol A has been one of the better-
performing derivatives, it consumes a higher phenol ratio at three parts to phenol to one part
acetone. In turn, strong bisphenol A demand will lead to a longer acetone market. Secondly,
MMA is another important acetone derivative and MMA technologies have been shifting. As
capacity is built to meet increasing demand, some of the new capacity is based on nonacetone
routes, such as units that can consume ethylene and methanol. Both of these feedstocks can be
produced at very low cost, if natural gas is available at the low prices seen previously in the
Middle East and now in the United States.
In 2016, worldwide demand for acetone is led by China (23%), the United States (21%), and
Western Europe (20%). Solvents are the largest end use, and are used in products such as nail
polish removers, cement, lacquers and finishes, cleaners, paint, coatings, films, and adhesives.
Pharmaceuticals are also an important consumer of acetone solvent, with large quantities being
used in glass-reinforced plastics, rubber chemicals, and household, cosmetic, and personal care
products. The solvents sector is usually the last place acetone ends up, and then only if it cannot
be sold into the other higher-value applications. Solvents are expected to be one of the faster
growing markets, increasing at an average rate of 3.7% per year over the next five years.
MMA is currently the second-largest market for acetone. The largest end use for MMA is
PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate). PMMA resins are used to produce acrylic sheet (cast and
extruded) and acrylic molding and extrusion compounds. Commercial, residential, and
nonresidential construction, and remodeling are the largest markets for acrylic sheet. Other
markets include vehicles, aircraft, and marine equipment. Automotive parts and medical devices
are the largest applications for MMA in molding and extrusion compounds. MMA is expected to
see the slowest growth over the next five years, increasing at an average rate of 0.9% per year
through the forecast period.
Bisphenol A is the third-largest end use for acetone globally in 2016. Bisphenol A is a raw
material for the production of epoxy and polycarbonate resins. Polycarbonate has driven most of
the growth for applications in optical media (CDs and DVDs), and the electrical and electronic
(insulators, connectors, and housings) and automotive sectors. However, as new technology has
been developed, and movies and music are increasingly streamed from the internet, the optical
media market has stopped growing. The construction, automotive, and computer segments are
now seen as key growth markets by polycarbonate manufacturers. Polycarbonate demand is
expected to increase by 3% per year through the forecast period, which will continue to help
drive BPA growth. Over the next five years, acetone consumption for bisphenol A will grow at a
rate of 3.3% per year.
Acetone's largest demand region is Northeast Asia, following the phenol trend. From 2011 to
2016, Northeast Asian domestic acetone demand grew at an average annual rate of about 3%
since 2011, and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of about 3.5% by 2021. In the past
five years, growth in the other larger regions of North America and Western Europe has been
difficult to achieve; however, both will start to see slow growth during the next five years. South
America will continue to see a slow decline from a very low base, with many things dependent
on political issues in Brazil. The Middle East will have strong demand growth, driven primarily
by BPA, which will be intended for export to other regions. The Indian Subcontinent will see the
fastest growth over the next five years, although from a low base, growing at an average annual
rate of 12.6% through the end of the forecast period.
All end uses are predicted to see a positive growth rate over the forecast period. Global acetone
demand will continue to improve as a whole, growing at an average annual rate of 2.8% through
the forecast period, compared with the 1.9% rate over the last five years.