Adenosine, N-benzoyl-5'-O-[bis(4-methoxyphenyl) phenylmethyl]-2'-deoxy-(DMTBA)

What is it?

  • Adenosine, N-benzoyl-5'-O-[bis(4-methoxyphenyl) phenylmethyl]-2'-deoxy-, also known as DMTBA, is an industrial chemical.

How is it used?

  • DMTBA is a specialty organic chemical that can be used as a pharmaceutical intermediate, or in biotechnologies.
  • DMTBA is not in commerce in Canada.

Why did the Government of Canada assess It?

  • DMTBA was identified as a potential concern to the environment based on available information regarding possible persistence, accumulation and potential to cause harm to the environment.

What is the Government of Canada doing?

  • The evaluation showed that DMTBA can stay in the environment for a long time. It has the potential to build up in the bodies of animals or within the food chain and small amounts of DMTBA could harm animals or plants that live in the water.
  • However, the Government of Canada has reviewed information that indicates that DMTBA is not currently in commerce in Canada in significant quantities.
  • As a result of these low quantities, it is unlikely that DMTBA is entering the environment as a result of commercial manufacture or use in this country.
  • The Government of Canada is proposing that DMTBA does not cause harm to the environment.
  • If the proposed conclusion is confirmed in the final assessment, the Government is proposing that DMTBA be subject to a Significant New Activity notice or SNAc. This action would require anyone proposing to manufacture or bring DMTBA into the country to provide information to the Government. Further ecological and human health assessment would them be done by the Government before considering whether to allow such activities.
  • The draft screening assessment was published on January 24, 2009 and will be followed by a 60-day public comment period, ending March 25, 2009.

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