Substance profile
Citral
Citral is a mobile pale yellow liquid with a strong lemon odor.
01 · Identification
What Citral is
Citral is a mobile pale yellow liquid with a strong lemon odor. Its molecular formula is C10H16O and its molecular weight is 152.23 g/mol. It boils at 229 °C, melts at -10 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Warning.
02 · Identifiers
Citral identifiers and molecular data
Citral CAS number and EC number
Citral molecular formula and molecular weight
03 · GHS classification
Citral hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Citral pictograms and signal word
Citral hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin corrosion/irritation GHS chapter 3.2 | Category 2 | H315 | GHS07 |
| Skin sensitisation GHS chapter 3.4 | Category 1 or 1A or 1B | H317 | GHS07 |
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.
Citral hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H315 | Causes skin irritation. |
| H317 | May cause an allergic skin reaction. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Citral. 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 Citral
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 Citral 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
Citral precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 9 precautionary statements to Citral. 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
Citral 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 | цитрал |
| Spanish español | Citral |
| Czech čeština | citral |
| Danish dansk | citral |
| German Deutsch | Citral 3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-octadienal |
| Estonian eesti | tsitraal |
| Greek ελληνικά | κιτράλη |
| English English | citral |
| French français | citral |
| Croatian hrvatski | citral |
| Italian italiano | citrale 3,7-dimetil-2,6-ottadienale |
| Latvian latviešu | citrāls |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | citralis |
| Hungarian magyar | citral |
| Maltese Malti | ċitral |
| Dutch Nederlands | citral |
| Polish polski | cytral α i cytral ß geranial i neral(E)-3,7-dimetylookta-2,6-dienal i (Z)-3,7-dimetylookta-2,6-dienal |
| Portuguese português | citral |
| Romanian română | citral |
| Slovak slovenčina | citrál |
| Slovenian slovenščina | citral |
| Finnish suomi | sitraali |
| Swedish svenska | citral |
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
Citral GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Citral, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Warning
Citral
- Causes skin irritation.
- May cause an allergic skin reaction.
- Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
- Wash … thoroughly after handling.
- Contaminated work clothing should not be allowed out of the workplace.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF ON SKIN:
- Get medical advice/attention.
- If skin irritation occurs:
- If skin irritation or rash occurs:
- Wash with plenty of water/…
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Citral in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Citral health hazards and exposure limits
Citral carcinogenicity classification
Under the conditions of these 2-year feed studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of citral in male or female F344/N rats exposed to 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000 ppm. There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of citral in male B6C3F1 mice exposed to 500, 1,000, or 2,000 ppm. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity in female B6C3F1 mice based on increased incidences of malignant lymphoma.
Source: US National Toxicology Program · TR-505: Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Citral (Microencapsulated) (CASRN 5392-40-5) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Feed Studies) (2003 )
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.
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Citral 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.
Citral boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 229 °C (444.2 °F) | HSDB | |
| 228 °C (442.4 °F) | JECFA | ||
| 227 °C (440.6 °F) | range, midpoint shown | ICSC |
Citral melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -10 °C (14 °F) | below this value | HSDB |
Citral density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.9 g/cm³ | ICSC | |
| 0.888 g/cm³ | range, midpoint shown | JECFA | |
| 0.888 g/cm³ | range, midpoint shown, at 25 °C | HSDB |
Citral solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Solubility in alcohol: 1 mL in 7 mL 70% alcohol | HSDB | |
| Solubility in water, g/100ml at 25 °C: 0.059 (very poor) | at 25 °C | ICSC |
Citral vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 5 mmHg | at 90 °C | CAMEO |
| 0.09 mmHg | Haz-Map | ||
| Vapor pressure, Pa at 100 °C: | at 100 °C | ICSC |
Citral flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 90.56 °C (195 °F) | HSDB | |
| 101.67 °C (215 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| 82 °C (179.6 °F) | ICSC |
Citral autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 225 °C (437 °F) | ICSC |
Citral lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 4.3 % by volume | ICSC | |
| It is rather endothermic. | HSDB |
Citral upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 9.9 % by volume | ICSC |
Citral vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 5.3 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Citral odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | Aroma threshold values: Detection: 28 to 120 ppb; alpha-citral, 32 to 460 ppb; beta citral, 30 to 460 ppb. | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Citral 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.
Citral fire potential
Combustible
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Solubility
Soluble in 5 volumes of 60% alcohol; soluble in all proportions of benzyl benzoate, diethyl phthalate, glycerin, propylene glycol, mineral oil, fixed oils, and 95% alcohol.
Source: HSDB
10 · Handling and storage
Citral storage and handling
Citral safe storage
Cool. Ventilation along the floor. Provision to contain effluent from fire extinguishing. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Citral reactivity
CITRAL is an aldehyde. Aldehydes are frequently involved in self-condensation or polymerization reactions. These reactions are exothermic; they are often catalyzed by acid. Aldehydes are readily oxidized to give carboxylic acids. Flammable and/or toxic gases are generated by the combination of aldehydes with azo, diazo compounds, dithiocarbamates, nitrides, and strong reducing agents. Aldehydes can react with air to give first peroxo acids, and ultimately carboxylic acids. These autoxidation reactions are activated by light, catalyzed by salts of transition metals, and are autocatalytic (catalyzed by the products of the reaction). The addition of stabilizers (antioxidants) to shipments of aldehydes retards autoxidation. This compound can react with alkalis and strong acids. It can readily isomerize. (NTP, 1992)
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Citral in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Questions
Citral — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Citral?
The CAS number of Citral is 5392-40-5. Its EC number is 226-394-6.
What is the chemical formula of Citral?
The molecular formula of Citral is C10H16O and its molecular weight is 152.23 g/mol.
What does a Citral label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Citral carries the pictogram Exclamation mark and the signal word is Warning.
Is Citral flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns Citral 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 90.56 °C (195 °F) (HSDB).
Is Citral a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Citral. 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 boiling point of Citral?
The boiling point reported for Citral is 229 °C (444.2 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Citral?
The melting point reported for Citral is -10 °C (14 °F), below this value (HSDB).
Nearby
Substances next to Citral
Keep going: substances starting with C, or search the whole database by name, CAS number, pictogram or signal word.