Substance profile
Ethane
Ethane is a colorless gas and is odorless.
01 · Identification
What Ethane is
Ethane is a colorless gas and is odorless. Its molecular formula is C2H6 and its molecular weight is 30.07 g/mol. It boils at -88.6 °C, melts at -183 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as flammable agents - 4th degree.
02 · Identifiers
Ethane identifiers and molecular data
Ethane CAS number and EC number
Ethane molecular formula and molecular weight
03 · GHS classification
Ethane hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Ethane pictograms and signal word
Ethane hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flammable gases GHS chapter 2.2 | Category 1A | H220 | GHS02 |
Ethane hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H220 | Extremely flammable gas. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Ethane. 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 Ethane
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 Ethane 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
Ethane precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 3 precautionary statements to Ethane. 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.
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
Ethane 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 | етан |
| Spanish español | Etano |
| Czech čeština | ethan |
| Danish dansk | ethan |
| German Deutsch | Ethan |
| Estonian eesti | etaan |
| Greek ελληνικά | αιθάνιο |
| English English | ethane |
| French français | éthane |
| Croatian hrvatski | etan |
| Italian italiano | etano |
| Latvian latviešu | etāns |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | etanas |
| Hungarian magyar | etán |
| Maltese Malti | etan |
| Dutch Nederlands | ethaan |
| Polish polski | etan |
| Portuguese português | etano |
| Romanian română | etan |
| Slovak slovenčina | etán |
| Slovenian slovenščina | etan |
| Finnish suomi | etaani |
| Swedish svenska | etan |
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
Ethane GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Ethane, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Ethane
- Extremely flammable gas.
- Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
- Keep container tightly closed.
- Store in a well-ventilated place.
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Ethane in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Ethane health hazards and exposure limits
Ethane hazard summary
The Critical Effects for aliphatic hydrocarbon gases are CNS depression and cardiac sensitization. From a toxicologic standpoint, methane and ethane are practically inert; however, at very high concentrations, they act as a simple asphyxiant and can cause suffocation by displacement of oxygen from breathing atmosphere, below the critical level of 16% oxygen that is required to sustain life. [ACGIH] Simple asphyxiant; Causes narcosis at high concentrations; [Merck Index] Evaporating liquid can cause frostbite; [ICSC]
Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Ethane 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.
Ethane boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | -88.6 °C (-127.5 °F) | HSDB | |
| -88.61 °C (-127.5 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO | |
| -89 °C (-128.2 °F) | ICSC |
Ethane melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -182.79 °C (-297 °F) | HSDB | |
| -173.28 °C (-279.9 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| -183 °C (-297.4 °F) | ICSC |
Ethane density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.446 g/cm³ | DOE PAC | |
| 0.546 g/cm³ | at -88.6 °C | CAMEO | |
| % IN SATURATED AIR: 100 AT 25 °C, 760 MM HG; DENSITY OF AIR SATURATED WITH VAPOR: 1.04 AT 25 °C, 760 MM HG (AIR= 1) | at 25 °C, at 760 mmHg | HSDB |
Ethane solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Very soluble in benzene | HSDB | |
| 60.4 ug/mL water at 20 °C | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| In water, 60.2 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Ethane vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 760 mmHg | DOE PAC | |
| 28880 mmHg | at 20 °C | ICSC | |
| 0.0075 mmHg | at -183.3 °C | HSDB |
Ethane flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | -135 °C (-211 °F) | HSDB |
Ethane autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 472.22 °C (882 °F) | HSDB | |
| 504.44 °C (940 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| 472 °C (881.6 °F) | ICSC |
Ethane lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 3 % by volume | HSDB | |
| 2.9 % by volume | CAMEO |
Ethane upper explosive limit (UEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 12.5 % by volume | HSDB | |
| 13 % by volume | CAMEO |
Ethane vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 1.04 (air = 1) | HSDB | |
| 1.05 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Ethane odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | 8.99X10+2 ppm (detection in water, purity not specified) | HSDB | |
| Ethane has a thresholds of 184.5 ppm (low) and 1105.77 ppm (high). | HSDB | ||
| Odor index @ 20 °C= 25300 ppm | at 20 °C | HSDB |
Ethane critical temperature and pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical temperature and pressure | 32 °C (89.6 °F) | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Ethane 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.
Ethane fire potential
Flammable in the presence of an oxidizing gas (eg air), a source of ignition, and when the concentration of the gas is between the lower and upper explosive limits. Keep away frmo heat/sparks/open flame/hot surface/oxidizing gas. No smoking.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Ethane storage and handling
Ethane safe storage
Fireproof. Cool. Separated from strong oxidants and halogens.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Ethane storage conditions
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Ethane incompatible materials
Chlorine dioxide mixed with ... ethane ... always explodes spontaneously.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Ethane reactivity
Saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as ETHANE, may be incompatible with strong oxidizing agents like nitric acid. Charring of the hydrocarbon may occur followed by ignition of unreacted hydrocarbon and other nearby combustibles. In other settings, aliphatic saturated hydrocarbons are mostly unreactive. They are not affected by aqueous solutions of acids, alkalis, most oxidizing agents, and most reducing agents. Peroxidizable
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Ethane in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Transport
Ethane UN number and transport classification
Transport classification is a separate system from the GHS classification above. It decides how a package is marked and how a load may be carried; it does not follow from the workplace label, and the workplace label does not follow from it. The entries below are linked by CAS number, never by name.
The same CAS number is shipped under more than one UN number. Which entry applies follows from the form and the concentration of the consignment — read the proper shipping name, not the CAS.
Ethane under UN 1035 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETHANE | 2 | 2F | — | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 2 is “Gases” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
United States · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
| Proper shipping name (column 2) | Class or division | PG | Labels (column 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethane | 2.1 | — | |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 2.1 is “Flammable gas” (49 CFR 173.2).
Ethane under UN 1961 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETHANE, REFRIGERATED LIQUID | 2 | 3F | — | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 2 is “Gases” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
United States · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
| Proper shipping name (column 2) | Class or division | PG | Labels (column 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethane-Propane mixture, refrigerated liquid | 2.1 | — | |
| Ethane, refrigerated liquid | 2.1 | — | |
Column (4) prefix on this entry: NA — not a UN number. NA numbers are assigned by the United States, ID numbers by ICAO.
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 2.1 is “Flammable gas” (49 CFR 173.2).
12 · Questions
Ethane — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Ethane?
The CAS number of Ethane is 74-84-0. Its EC number is 200-814-8.
What is the chemical formula of Ethane?
The molecular formula of Ethane is C2H6 and its molecular weight is 30.07 g/mol.
What does a Ethane label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Ethane carries the pictograms Flame and Gas cylinder and the signal word is Danger.
Is Ethane flammable?
Yes. CLP Annex VI assigns Ethane H220 — extremely flammable gas. The flash point reported for it is -135 °C (-211 °F) (HSDB).
Is Ethane a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Ethane. 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 Ethane?
The boiling point reported for Ethane is -88.6 °C (-127.5 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Ethane?
The melting point reported for Ethane is -182.79 °C (-297 °F) (HSDB).
How should Ethane be stored?
CLP Annex VI assigns Ethane the storage statement P403. Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to Ethane
Keep going: substances starting with E, or search the whole database by name, CAS number, pictogram or signal word.