Substance profile
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE is plates from glacial acetic acid or alcohol.
01 · Identification
What BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE is
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE is plates from glacial acetic acid or alcohol. It boils at 438 °C, melts at 162 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as carcinogens.
02 · Identifiers
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE identifiers and molecular data
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE CAS number and EC number
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE
- benz[a]anthracene
03 · GHS classification
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE pictograms and signal word
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carcinogenicity GHS chapter 3.6 | Category 1A or 1B | H350 | GHS08 |
| Hazardous to the aquatic environment - acute GHS chapter 4.1 | Category 1 | H400 | GHS09 |
| Hazardous to the aquatic environment - chronic GHS chapter 4.1 | Category 1 | H410 | GHS09 |
Where two values are shown with “or”, the hazard statement is shared by more than one category or by more than one class, and the code alone does not say which. H272, for example, belongs to oxidising liquids and to oxidising solids — the physical state decides. The binding answer for a specific entry is in the CLP Annex VI table itself.
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H350 | May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life. |
| H410 | Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE. 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 BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE
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 BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE 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
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 7 precautionary statements to BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE. 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.
Disposal
What has to happen to the contents and the empty container.
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
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE 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 | бенз[ a ]антрацен |
| Spanish español | Benz[ a ]antraceno |
| Czech čeština | benzo[ a ]anthracen |
| Danish dansk | benzo[ a ]anthracen |
| German Deutsch | Benzo[ a ]anthracen |
| Estonian eesti | bens[ a ]antratseen |
| Greek ελληνικά | βενζο[ a ]ανθρακένιο |
| English English | benz[ a ]anthracene |
| French français | benz[ a ]anthracène |
| Croatian hrvatski | benz[ a ]antracen |
| Italian italiano | benz[ a ]antracene |
| Latvian latviešu | benz[ a ]antracēns |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | benz[ a ]antracenas |
| Hungarian magyar | benz[ a ]antracén |
| Maltese Malti | benż[ a ]antraċen |
| Dutch Nederlands | benzo[ a ]antraceen |
| Polish polski | benzo[a]antracen |
| Portuguese português | benz[ a ]antraceno |
| Romanian română | benzo[ a ]antracen |
| Slovak slovenčina | benzo[ a ]antracén |
| Slovenian slovenščina | benz[ a ]antracen |
| Finnish suomi | bentso[ a ]antraseeni |
| Swedish svenska | bens[ a ]antracen |
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
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE
- May cause cancer <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- Very toxic to aquatic life.
- Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
- Obtain special instructions before use.
- Avoid release to the environment.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF exposed or concerned:
- Get medical advice/attention.
- Collect spillage.
- Dispose of contents/container to …
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE health hazards and exposure limits
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE hazard summary
May cause irritation; [MSDSonline] Danger of cutaneous absorption; [MAK] See POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS.
Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE carcinogenicity classification
CLASSIFICATION: B2; probable human carcinogen. BASIS FOR CLASSIFICATION: Based on no human data and sufficient data from animal bioassays. Benz[a]anthracene produced tumors in mice exposed by gavage; intraperitoneal, subcutaneous or intramuscular injection; and topical application. Benz[a]anthracene produced mutations in bacteria and in mammalian cells and transformed mammalian cells in culture. HUMAN CARCINOGENICITY DATA: None. ANIMAL CARCINOGENICITY DATA: Sufficient.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
OVERALL EVALUATION: Group 2B: The agent is possibly carcinogenic to humans.
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.
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 0.2 mg/m³ | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| REL | 0.1 mg/m³ (cyclohexane-extractable fraction) | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| IDLH | NIOSH considers coal tar pitch volatiles to be potential occupational carcinogens. /Coal tar pitch volatiles/ | 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
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE 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.
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 437.6 °C (819.7 °F) | HSDB | |
| 435 °C (815 °F) | OSHA | ||
| 437.6 °C (819.7 °F) | at 760 mmHg | DOE PAC |
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | 162 °C (323.6 °F) | ICSC | |
| 160.5 °C (320.9 °F) | DOE PAC | ||
| 156 °C (312.8 °F) | range, midpoint shown | HSDB |
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.274 g/cm³ | ICSC |
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Insoluble in water | HSDB | |
| soluble in ether, alcohol, acetone, benzene | HSDB | ||
| In water, 9.4X10-3 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 2.1902 mmHg | at 20 °C | ICSC |
| 2.1e-7 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB | |
| 2.1e-7 mmHg | Haz-Map |
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | Powder can form an explosive mixture with air. | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Handling and storage
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE storage and handling
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE safe storage
Separated from oxidizing materials. Store in an area without drain or sewer access. Well closed.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE storage conditions
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.[Sigma-Aldrich; Safety Data Sheet for Benz
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE incompatible materials
Incompatible materials: Strong oxidizing agents.[Sigma-Aldrich; Safety Data Sheet for Benz
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE reactivity
BENZ[A]ANTHRACENE may react vigorously with strong oxidizing agents. Can react exothermically with bases and with diazo compounds. Substitution at the benzene nucleus occurs by halogenation (acid catalyst), nitration, sulfonation, and the Friedel-Crafts reaction.
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE in the storage compatibility matrix →
10 · Questions
BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE?
The CAS number of BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE is 56-55-3. Its EC number is 200-280-6.
What does a BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE carries the pictograms Health hazard and Environment and the signal word is Danger.
Is BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE 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.
Is BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE a carcinogen?
Yes. CLP Annex VI classifies BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE as a category 1A or 1B carcinogen and assigns it H350: may cause cancer. IARC places it in Group 2B: possibly carcinogenic to humans.
What is the exposure limit for BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE is 0.2 mg/m³ (Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)). 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 BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE?
The boiling point reported for BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE is 437.6 °C (819.7 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE?
The melting point reported for BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE is 162 °C (323.6 °F) (ICSC).
How should BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE be stored?
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.[Sigma-Aldrich; Safety Data Sheet for Benz (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to BENZ(a)ANTHRACENE
Keep going: substances starting with B, or search the whole database by name, CAS number, pictogram or signal word.