Substance profile
Biphenyl
Biphenyl is white scales with a pleasant, peculiar odor.
01 · Identification
What Biphenyl is
Biphenyl is white scales with a pleasant, peculiar odor. Its molecular formula is C12H10 and its molecular weight is 154.21 g/mol. It boils at 256 °C, melts at 69 °C, is soluble in water.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Warning. It is classed as hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
02 · Identifiers
Biphenyl identifiers and molecular data
Biphenyl CAS number and EC number
Biphenyl molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Biphenyl
- diphenyl
03 · GHS classification
Biphenyl hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Biphenyl pictograms and signal word
Biphenyl hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin corrosion/irritation GHS chapter 3.2 | Category 2 | H315 | GHS07 |
| Serious eye damage/eye irritation GHS chapter 3.3 | Category 2A | H319 | GHS07 |
| Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure GHS chapter 3.8 | Category 3 | H335 | GHS07 |
| 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 |
Biphenyl hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H335 | May cause respiratory irritation. |
| H315 | Causes skin irritation. |
| H319 | Causes serious eye irritation. |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life. |
| H410 | Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Biphenyl. 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 Biphenyl
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 Biphenyl 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
Biphenyl precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 12 precautionary statements to Biphenyl. 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
Biphenyl 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 | бифенил дифенил |
| Spanish español | Bifenilo difenilo |
| Czech čeština | bifenyl difenyl |
| Danish dansk | biphenyl diphenyl |
| German Deutsch | Biphenyl Diphenyl |
| Estonian eesti | bifenüül difenüül |
| Greek ελληνικά | διφαινύλιο |
| English English | biphenyl diphenyl |
| French français | biphényle diphényle |
| Croatian hrvatski | bifenil difenil |
| Italian italiano | bifenil difenil |
| Latvian latviešu | bifenils difenils |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | bifenilas difenilas |
| Hungarian magyar | bifenil difenil |
| Maltese Malti | bifenil difenil |
| Dutch Nederlands | bifenyl difenyl |
| Polish polski | bifenyl fenylobenzen |
| Portuguese português | bifenilo difenilo |
| Romanian română | bifenil difenil |
| Slovak slovenčina | bifenyl difenyl |
| Slovenian slovenščina | bifenil difenil |
| Finnish suomi | bifenyyli difenyyli |
| Swedish svenska | bifenyl difenyl |
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
Biphenyl GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Biphenyl, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Warning
Biphenyl
- May cause respiratory irritation.
- Causes skin irritation.
- Causes serious eye irritation.
- Very toxic to aquatic life.
- Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
- Wash … thoroughly after handling.
- Avoid release to the environment.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF ON SKIN:
- IF IN EYES:
- Get medical advice/attention.
- If skin irritation occurs:
- If eye irritation persists:
- Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
- Wash with plenty of water/…
- Collect spillage.
- Dispose of contents/container to …
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Biphenyl in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Biphenyl health hazards and exposure limits
Biphenyl hazard summary
Biphenyl is used in organic syntheses, heat transfer fluids, dye carriers, food preservatives, as an intermediate for polychlorinated biphenyls, and as a fungistat in the packaging of citrus fruits. In workers, acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of biphenyl has been observed to cause eye and skin irritation and toxic effects on the liver, kidneys, and central and peripheral nervous systems. Kidney effects have been observed in chronically (long-term) exposed animals. EPA has classified biphenyl as a Group D, not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.
Source: EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants
Biphenyl carcinogenicity classification
Cancer Classification: Group D Not Classifiable as to Human Carcinogenicity
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
CLASSIFICATION: D; not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity. BASIS FOR CLASSIFICATION: No human data and inadequate studies in mice and rats. Results of genotoxicity tests are generally negative. HUMAN CARCINOGENICITY DATA: None. ANIMAL CARCINOGENICITY DATA: Inadequate.
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.
Biphenyl occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 0.2 [ppm] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| PEL | 0.2 ppm (1 mg/m³) | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| PEL | TWA 1 mg/m3 (0.2 ppm) | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| REL | 0.2 ppm (1 mg/m³) | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| REL | TWA 1 mg/m3 (0.2 ppm) | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| IDLH | 100 mg/m3 (NIOSH, 2024) | CAMEO Chemicals |
| IDLH | 100 mg/cu m | Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
| IDLH | 100 mg/m³ | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
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
Biphenyl 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.
Biphenyl boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 256.1 °C (493 °F) | HSDB | |
| 253.89 °C (489 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| 256 °C (492.8 °F) | ICSC |
Biphenyl melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | 69 °C (156.2 °F) | HSDB | |
| 68.89 °C (156 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| 70 °C (158 °F) | ICSC |
Biphenyl density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.04 g/cm³ | HSDB | |
| 1.041 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB |
Biphenyl solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Soluble in ethanol, ethyl ether; very soluble in benzene, carbon tetrachloride, carbon disulfide, and methanol. | HSDB | |
| Soluble in alcohol, ether; very soluble in benzene | HSDB | ||
| Soluble in oxygenated and chlorinated solvents. | HSDB |
Biphenyl vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 0.005 mmHg | NIOSH | |
| 0.0089 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Biphenyl flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 112.78 °C (235 °F) | HSDB |
Biphenyl autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 540 °C (1004 °F) | HSDB |
Biphenyl lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 0.6 % by volume | DOE PAC | |
| 0.6 % by volume | at 111.11 °C | HSDB |
Biphenyl upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 5.8 % by volume | at 111.11 °C | HSDB |
| 5.8 % by volume | at 155 °C | NIOSH |
Biphenyl vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 5.31 (air = 1) | HSDB | |
| 5.3 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Biphenyl odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | low 0.0062 mg/cu m, high 0.3 mg/cu m | HSDB | |
| Odor threshold: detection: 0.0005 mg/kg | HSDB | ||
| Odor Threshold Low: 0.01 [ppm] | Haz-Map |
Biphenyl critical temperature and pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical temperature and pressure | 515.7 °C (960.3 °F) | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Biphenyl 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.
Biphenyl fire potential
Slight when exposed to heat or flame; can react with oxidizing materials.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Biphenyl storage and handling
Biphenyl safe storage
Separated from food and feedstuffs and oxidants. Provision to contain effluent from fire extinguishing. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Biphenyl storage conditions
Materials... toxic as stored or which can decompose into toxic components... should be stored in a cool... ventilated place, out of... sun, away from fire hazard... /and/ be periodically inspected. ...Incompatible materials should be isolated...
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Biphenyl incompatible materials
Reacts with oxidants causing fire and explosion hazard.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Biphenyl reactivity
BIPHENYL is incompatible with oxidizers. (NTP, 1992)
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Biphenyl in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Questions
Biphenyl — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Biphenyl?
The CAS number of Biphenyl is 92-52-4. Its EC number is 202-163-5.
What is the chemical formula of Biphenyl?
The molecular formula of Biphenyl is C12H10 and its molecular weight is 154.21 g/mol.
What does a Biphenyl label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Biphenyl carries the pictograms Exclamation mark and Environment and the signal word is Warning.
Is Biphenyl flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns Biphenyl 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 112.78 °C (235 °F) (HSDB).
Is Biphenyl a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Biphenyl. 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.
What is the exposure limit for Biphenyl?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for Biphenyl is 0.2 [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 Biphenyl?
The boiling point reported for Biphenyl is 256.1 °C (493 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Biphenyl?
The melting point reported for Biphenyl is 69 °C (156.2 °F) (HSDB).
How should Biphenyl be stored?
Materials... toxic as stored or which can decompose into toxic components... should be stored in a cool... ventilated place, out of... sun, away from fire hazard... /and/ be periodically inspected. ...Incompatible materials should be isolated... (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
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