Substance profile
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
1,1,1-Trichloroethane is a colorless liquid with a mild chloroform-like odor.
01 · Identification
What 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is
1,1,1-Trichloroethane is a colorless liquid with a mild chloroform-like odor. It boils at 74 °C, melts at -30 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Warning. It is classed as hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
02 · Identifiers
1,1,1-Trichloroethane identifiers and molecular data
1,1,1-Trichloroethane CAS number and EC number
1,1,1-Trichloroethane molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
- methyl chloroform
03 · GHS classification
1,1,1-Trichloroethane hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
1,1,1-Trichloroethane pictograms and signal word
1,1,1-Trichloroethane hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute toxicity - inhalation GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 4 | H332 | GHS07 |
| Hazardous to the ozone layer GHS chapter 4.2 | Category 1 | H420 | GHS07 |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H332 | Harmful if inhaled. |
| H420 | Harms public health and the environment by destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere |
This page lists only the codes assigned to 1,1,1-Trichloroethane. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.
Safety Data Sheet
Getting an SDS for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
A Safety Data Sheet is written for a product, not for a substance: the supplier of the grade you actually buy issues it, so two suppliers of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane issue two different sheets. That is why there is no single authoritative SDS for a substance to download — what there is, is the job of collecting the sheets for the products you hold and keeping them current as suppliers revise them.
04 · Precautionary statements
1,1,1-Trichloroethane precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 4 precautionary statements to 1,1,1-Trichloroethane. They are grouped the way a label groups them: what to do before handling, what to do when something has already happened, how to store it and how to dispose of it.
Prevention
What to do before and during handling so the hazard never happens.
Response
What to do once exposure, spillage or fire has already happened.
Reading the notation. … is a blank the supplier fills in — not a truncated sentence.· [square brackets] mark a part printed only when it applies.
05 · Names in the regulation
1,1,1-Trichloroethane name in 23 EU languages
CLP Annex VI Part 3 is published in every language edition of the regulation, and the identification column is written out in each of them. Nothing below is translated by us: each line is the name as that edition prints it. Under Art. 18(2) the substance name from Annex VI is a lawful product identifier, so this is the wording to put on a label going to that market — and where the cell lists several designations, any one of them qualifies.
| Language | Name in CLP Annex VI Part 3 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian български | 1,1,1-трихлороетан метилхлороформ |
| Spanish español | 1,1,1-Tricloroetano metilcloroformo |
| Czech čeština | 1,1,1-trichlorethan methylchloroform |
| Danish dansk | 1,1,1-trichlorethan methylchloroform |
| German Deutsch | 1,1,1-Trichlorethan Methylchloroform |
| Estonian eesti | 1,1,1-trikloroetaan metüülkloroform |
| Greek ελληνικά | 1,1,1-τριχλωροαιθάνιο μεθυλοχλωροφόρμιο |
| English English | 1,1,1-trichloroethane methyl chloroform |
| French français | 1,1,1-trichloroéthane méthylchloroforme |
| Croatian hrvatski | 1,1,1-trikloretan metil-kloroform |
| Italian italiano | 1,1,1-tricloroetano metilcloroformio |
| Latvian latviešu | 1,1,1-trihloretāns metilhloroforms |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | 1,1,1-trichloretanas metilchloroformas |
| Hungarian magyar | 1,1,1-triklór-etán metil-kloroform |
| Maltese Malti | 1,1,1-triklorotanu kloroform tal-metil |
| Dutch Nederlands | 1,1,1-trichloorethaan methylchloroform |
| Polish polski | 1,1,1-trichloroetan metylochloroform |
| Portuguese português | 1,1,1-tricloroetano metilclorofórmio |
| Romanian română | 1,1,1-tricloroetan metilcloroform |
| Slovak slovenčina | 1,1,1-trichlóretán metylchloroform |
| Slovenian slovenščina | 1,1,1-trikloroetan metil kloroform |
| Finnish suomi | 1,1,1-trikloorietaani metyylikloroformi |
| Swedish svenska | 1,1,1-trikloretan metylkloroform |
All 23 language editions of Annex VI carry this entry. Irish is the twenty-fourth official EU language and has no line here for a different reason: no consolidated CLP text has ever been published in Irish, so there is no Irish edition of Annex VI to quote a name from. Source: consolidated CLP, CELEX 02008R1272, language editions. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — only the electronic Official Journal of the European Union is authentic.
06 · Label elements
1,1,1-Trichloroethane GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Warning
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
- Harmful if inhaled.
- Harms public health and the environment by destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere
- Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
- Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- IF INHALED:
- Call a POISON CENTER/doctor/… if you feel unwell.
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open 1,1,1-Trichloroethane in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
1,1,1-Trichloroethane health hazards and exposure limits
1,1,1-Trichloroethane hazard summary
1,1,1-Trichloroethane is a synthetic chemical that does not occur naturally in the environment. It also is known as methylchloroform, methyltrichloromethane, trichloromethylmethane, and trichloromethane. Its registered trade names are chloroethene NU® and Aerothene TT®.</p No 1,1,1-trichloroethane is supposed to be manufactured for domestic use in the United States after January 1, 2002 because it affects the ozone layer. 1,1,1-Trichloroethane had many industrial and household uses, including use as a solvent to dissolve other substances, such as glues and paints; to remove oil or grease from manufactured metal parts; and as an ingredient of household products such as spot cleaners, glues, and aerosol sprays.
Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
1,1,1-Trichloroethane carcinogenicity classification
Studied by the US National Toxicology Program: TR-003: Bioassay of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane for Possible Carcinogenicity (CASRN 71-55-6) (1977 )
Cancer Classification: Group D Not Classifiable as to Human Carcinogenicity
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Evaluation: There is inadequate evidence for the carcinogenicity of 1,1,1-trichloroethane in humans. There is inadequate evidence for the carcinogenicity of 1,1,1-trichloroethane in experimental animals. Overall evaluation: 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3).
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
An IARC group and a CLP classification answer different questions. IARC judges whether the evidence for cancer in humans is strong enough; CLP Annex VI is the legally binding EU classification. A substance can carry one and not the other.
1,1,1-Trichloroethane occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 350.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| PEL | 350 ppm (1900 mg/m³) | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| PEL | TWA 350 ppm (1900 mg/m3) See Appendix G | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| REL | 350 ppm (1900 mg/m³) [15 minutes] | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| REL | C 350 ppm (1900 mg/m3) [15-minute] See Appendix C (Chloroethanes) | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| IDLH | 700 ppm (NIOSH, 2024) | CAMEO Chemicals |
| IDLH | 700.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| IDLH | 700 ppm | Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
These are United States values. The European Union sets its own indicative and binding limits, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation — not the one shown here.
08 · Physical and chemical properties
1,1,1-Trichloroethane properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
1,1,1-Trichloroethane boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 74 °C (165.2 °F) | HSDB | |
| 73.89 °C (165 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| 74.11 °C (165.4 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -30 °C (-22 °F) | HSDB | |
| -30.56 °C (-23 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| -32.5 °C (-26.5 °F) | CAMEO |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.34 g/cm³ | NIOSH | |
| 1.3376 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 1.31 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | CAMEO |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Soluble in acetone, benzene, methanol, carbon tetrachloride and ether | HSDB | |
| Soluble in all common organic solvents and is a very good solvent for fats, paraffins, and other organic compounds. | HSDB | ||
| In water, 1,290 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 100 mmHg | NIOSH | |
| 100 mmHg | at 20 °C | CAMEO | |
| 124 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 93.33 °C (200 °F) | above this value | CAMEO |
| Flash point = none | HSDB |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 500 °C (932 °F) | closed cup | HSDB |
| 500 °C (932 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| 537 °C (998.6 °F) | ICSC |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 7.5 % by volume | HSDB |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 12.5 % by volume | HSDB |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 4.63 (air = 1) | HSDB | |
| 4.6 (air = 1) | CAMEO |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | It has an odor similar to chloroform. | HSDB | |
| Odor Threshold Low: 16.0 [ppm] | Haz-Map |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane critical temperature and pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical temperature and pressure | 311.85 °C (593.3 °F) | HSDB |
1,1,1-Trichloroethane corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | Readily corrodes aluminum and aluminum alloys | HSDB | |
| Extremely corrosive to aluminum. Dry 1,1,1-trichloroethane moderately corrodes iron and zinc. | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
1,1,1-Trichloroethane fire and explosion behaviour
These are descriptions rather than measured values, so they are kept out of the table above and quoted here with the source that reported them.
1,1,1-Trichloroethane fire potential
It burns only in excess of oxygen or in air if a strong source of ignition is present.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Corrosivity
Dry, uninhibited 1,1,1-trichloroethane is not very corrosive with iron or zinc; corrosion rate with iron is < 2.54 micrometers/yr and with zinc < 25.4 micrometers/yr. Addition of 7% water increases corrosion rates to 254 micrometers/yr for iron and > 254 micrometers/yr for zinc. The presence of both water and ethanol increases iron or tin attack at reflux.
Source: HSDB
Odor
The odor may be noticeable at concentrations near 100 ppm, well below those known to cause physiological response. However, the odor at 500 ppm and even 1000 ppm is not so unpleasant as to discourage exposure. The odor has been described as strong and unpleasant at 1500-2000 ppm. It has been reported that female test subjects exposed to 350 ppm objected to the odor; however, this has not been an industrial problem.
Source: HSDB
10 · Handling and storage
1,1,1-Trichloroethane storage and handling
1,1,1-Trichloroethane safe storage
Separated from food and feedstuffs, strong oxidants, aluminium, magnesium and zinc. Cool. Dry. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
1,1,1-Trichloroethane storage conditions
Storage temp: Ambient; Venting: Pressure-vacuum.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
1,1,1-Trichloroethane incompatible materials
Reacts slowly with water, releasing corrosive hydrochloric acid.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check 1,1,1-Trichloroethane in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Questions
1,1,1-Trichloroethane — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane?
The CAS number of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is 71-55-6. Its EC number is 200-756-3.
What does a 1,1,1-Trichloroethane label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane carries the pictogram Exclamation mark and the signal word is Warning.
Is 1,1,1-Trichloroethane flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns 1,1,1-Trichloroethane no flammability hazard class. That is not a statement that it cannot burn: the harmonised list only records the hazards that were assessed for it. The flash point reported for it is 93.33 °C (200 °F), above this value (CAMEO).
Is 1,1,1-Trichloroethane a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane. Annex VI is a list of agreed classifications, not a list of substances found safe, so this is an absence of a classification rather than a clean bill of health. IARC places it in Group 2A: probably carcinogenic to humans.
What is the exposure limit for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is 350.0 [ppm] (Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases). Limits differ by country: the EU sets its own indicative and binding values, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation.
What is the boiling point of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane?
The boiling point reported for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is 74 °C (165.2 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane?
The melting point reported for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is -30 °C (-22 °F) (HSDB).
How should 1,1,1-Trichloroethane be stored?
Storage temp: Ambient; Venting: Pressure-vacuum. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
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