Substance profile
Citric acid
Citric acid is crystals; monoclinic holohedra; crystallizes from hot concentrated aqueous solution and is odorless.
01 · Identification
What Citric acid is
Citric acid is crystals; monoclinic holohedra; crystallizes from hot concentrated aqueous solution and is odorless. Its molecular formula is C6H8O7 and its molecular weight is 192.12 g/mol. It melts at 153 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Warning.
02 · Identifiers
Citric acid identifiers and molecular data
Citric acid CAS number and EC number
Citric acid molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Citric acid
- C6H8O7
- Aciletten
- Anhydrous Citric Acid
- Beta-Hydroxy-Tricarboxylic Acid
- Beta-Hydroxytricarballylic Acid
- Chemfill
- Citretten
- Citro
- Hydrocerol A
- 2-Hydroxy-1,2,3-Propane-Tricarboxylic Acid
- 2-Hydroxy-1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic Acid
03 · GHS classification
Citric acid hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Citric acid pictograms and signal word
Citric acid hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Citric acid hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H335 | May cause respiratory irritation. |
| H319 | Causes serious eye irritation. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Citric acid. 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 Citric acid
Our own Citric acid safety data sheet walks through all sixteen sections of the published data. What it is not is the document an inspector asks for: an SDS is issued for a product by its supplier, so the sheet covering the grade actually standing in your store exists only in that supplier’s version. Collecting those and keeping them current as suppliers revise them is a separate job.
04 · Precautionary statements
Citric acid precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 6 precautionary statements to Citric acid. 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
Citric acid 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 | лимонена киселина |
| Spanish español | Ácido cítrico |
| Czech čeština | citronová kyselina |
| Danish dansk | citronsyre |
| German Deutsch | Citronensäure |
| Estonian eesti | sidrunhape |
| Greek ελληνικά | κιτρικό οξύ |
| English English | citric acid |
| French français | acide citrique |
| Croatian hrvatski | limunska kiselina |
| Italian italiano | acido citrico |
| Latvian latviešu | citronskābe |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | citrinų rūgštis |
| Hungarian magyar | citromsav |
| Maltese Malti | aċidu ċitriku |
| Dutch Nederlands | citroenzuur |
| Polish polski | kwas cytrynowy |
| Portuguese português | ácido cítrico |
| Romanian română | acid citric |
| Slovak slovenčina | kyselina citrónová |
| Slovenian slovenščina | citronska kislina |
| Finnish suomi | sitruunahappo |
| Swedish svenska | citronsyra |
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
Citric acid GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Citric acid, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Warning
Citric acid
- May cause respiratory irritation.
- Causes serious eye irritation.
- Wash … thoroughly after handling.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF IN EYES:
- Get medical advice/attention.
- If eye irritation persists:
- Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Citric acid in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Citric acid health hazards and exposure limits
Citric acid hazard summary
An irritant to the throat and eyes; [CAMEO] Concentrated solutions can cause severe eye damage and blindness; Animals fed 1.2% citric acid for 90 weeks showed no adverse effects except erosion of tooth enamel. [CHEMINFO]
Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Citric acid 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.
Citric acid boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | Decomposes | decomposes | HSDB |
| Decomposes (NTP, 1992) | decomposes | CAMEO |
Citric acid melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | 153 °C (307.4 °F) | HSDB | |
| 152.78 °C (307 °F) | CAMEO |
Citric acid density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.542 g/cm³ | Citric acid monohydrate | HSDB |
| 1.665 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 0.9002 g/cm³ | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Citric acid solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Very soluble in ethanol; soluble in ether, ethyl acetate; insoluble in benzene, chloroform | HSDB | |
| greater than or equal to 100 mg/mL at 72 °F (NTP, 1992) | at 22.22 °C | CAMEO | |
| In water, 3.83X10+5 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Citric acid flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 100 °C (212 °F) | ICSC |
Citric acid autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 1010 °C (1850 °F) | HSDB |
Citric acid lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 0.28 % by volume | HSDB | |
| 0.28-2.29 KG/CU M (DUST) | HSDB |
Citric acid upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 2.29 % by volume | HSDB | |
| 2.29 kg/m3 (dust) (NTP, 1992) | CAMEO |
Citric acid corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | WILL CORRODE COPPER, ZINC, ALUMINUM AND THEIR ALLOYS | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Citric acid 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.
Citric acid fire potential
Combustible liquid
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Citric acid storage and handling
Citric acid reactive group
CAMEO Chemicals places Citric acid in the reactive groups Acids, Carboxylic, Alcohols and Polyols. Compatibility with other chemicals is worked out from the group, not from the individual substance — which is why two substances you have never seen react can still be flagged as a pair that must be separated.
A reactive group is a CAMEO Chemicals (US NOAA) grouping, not a GHS hazard class: it has no code, no category and no legal force. It is what the storage compatibility matrix on this site computes from.
Citric acid safe storage
Separated from strong oxidants, strong bases, metal nitrates and metals. Dry.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Citric acid storage conditions
Crystalline citric acid, anhydrous, can be stored in dry form without difficulty, although conditions of high humidity and elevated temperatures should be avoided to prevent caking. Storage should be in tight containers to prevent exposure to moist air. Several granulations are commercially available with the larger particle sizes having less tendency toward caking.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Citric acid incompatible materials
Potentially explosive reaction with metal nitrates.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Citric acid reactivity
CITRIC ACID reacts with oxidizing agents, bases, reducing agents and metal nitrates (NTP, 1992). Reactions with metal nitrates are potentially explosive. Heating to the point of decomposition causes emission of acrid smoke and fumes [Lewis].
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Citric acid in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Questions
Citric acid — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Citric acid?
The CAS number of Citric acid is 77-92-9. Its EC number is 201-069-1.
What is the chemical formula of Citric acid?
The molecular formula of Citric acid is C6H8O7 and its molecular weight is 192.12 g/mol.
What does a Citric acid label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Citric acid carries the pictogram Exclamation mark and the signal word is Warning.
Is Citric acid flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns Citric acid 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 100 °C (212 °F) (ICSC).
Is Citric acid a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Citric acid. 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 Citric acid?
The boiling point reported for Citric acid is Decomposes, decomposes (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Citric acid?
The melting point reported for Citric acid is 153 °C (307.4 °F) (HSDB).
How should Citric acid be stored?
Crystalline citric acid, anhydrous, can be stored in dry form without difficulty, although conditions of high humidity and elevated temperatures should be avoided to prevent caking. Storage should be in tight containers to prevent exposure to moist air. Several granulations are commercially available with the larger particle sizes having less tendency toward caking. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to Citric acid
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