Substance profile
Ethidium Bromide
Ethidium Bromide is dark red crystals from alcohol.
01 · Identification
What Ethidium Bromide is
Ethidium Bromide is dark red crystals from alcohol. It melts at 261 °C, is soluble in water.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger.
02 · Identifiers
Ethidium Bromide identifiers and molecular data
Ethidium Bromide CAS number and EC number
Other names for Ethidium Bromide
- 3,8-diamino-1-ethyl-6-phenylphenantridinium bromide
03 · GHS classification
Ethidium Bromide hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Ethidium Bromide pictograms and signal word
Ethidium Bromide hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute toxicity - oral GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 4 | H302 | GHS07 |
| Acute toxicity - inhalation GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 1 or 2 | H330 | GHS06 |
| Germ cell mutagenicity GHS chapter 3.5 | Category 2 | H341 | GHS08 |
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.
Ethidium Bromide hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H341 | Suspected of causing genetic defects <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H330 | Fatal if inhaled. |
| H302 | Harmful if swallowed. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Ethidium Bromide. 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 Ethidium Bromide
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 Ethidium Bromide 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
Ethidium Bromide precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 12 precautionary statements to Ethidium Bromide. 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
Ethidium Bromide 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 | етидиев бромид 3,8-диамино-1-етил-6-фенилфенантридиниев бромид |
| Spanish español | Bromuro de etidio bromuro de 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridinio |
| Czech čeština | ethidiumbromid 3,8-diamino-1-ethyl-6-fenylfenanthridinium-bromid |
| Danish dansk | ethidiumbromid 3,8-diamino-1-ethyl-6-phenylphenantridiniumbromid |
| German Deutsch | Ethidiumbromid 3,8-Diamino-1-ethyl-6-phenylphenantridiniumbromid |
| Estonian eesti | etiidiumbromiid 3,8-diamino-1-etüül-6-fenüülfenantridiiniumbromiid |
| Greek ελληνικά | βρωμιούχο αιθίδιο 3,8-διαμινο-1-αιθυλο-6-φαινυλοφαινανθριδινοβρωμίδιο |
| English English | ethidium bromide 3,8-diamino-1-ethyl-6-phenylphenantridinium bromide |
| French français | bromure d'éthidium bromure de 3,8-diamino-1-éthyl-6-phénylphénantridinium |
| Croatian hrvatski | etidij-bromid 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridinij- bromid |
| Italian italiano | bromuro di etidio fenantridinio, 3,8-diammino-1-etil-6-fenil, bromuro |
| Latvian latviešu | etīdija bromīds 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridīnija bromīds |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | etidžio bromidas 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridinio bromidas |
| Hungarian magyar | etídium-bromid 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridinium-bromid |
| Maltese Malti | bromur tal-etidju 3,8-diammino-1-etil-6-bromur tal-fenilfenantridinju |
| Dutch Nederlands | ethidiumbromide 3,8-diamino-1-ethyl-6-fenylfenantridiniumbromide |
| Polish polski | bromek etydyny bromek 3,8-diamino-N-etylo-6-fenylofenantrydyniowy |
| Portuguese português | brometo de etídio brometo de 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridínio |
| Romanian română | bromură de etidiu bromură de 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridiniu |
| Slovak slovenčina | etídium-bromid 3,8-diamino-1-etyl-6-fenylfenantridínium-bromid |
| Slovenian slovenščina | etidijev bromid 3,8-diamino-1-etil-6-fenilfenantridinijev bromid |
| Finnish suomi | etidiumbromidi 3,8-diamino-1-etyyli-6-fenyylifenantridiumbromidi |
| Swedish svenska | etidiumbromid 3,8-diamino-1-etyl-6-fenylfenantridiniumbromid |
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
Ethidium Bromide GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Ethidium Bromide, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Ethidium Bromide
- Suspected of causing genetic defects <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- Fatal if inhaled.
- Harmful if swallowed.
- Obtain special instructions before use.
- Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
- Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF SWALLOWED:
- IF INHALED:
- IF exposed or concerned:
- Immediately call a POISON CENTER/doctor/…
- Call a POISON CENTER/doctor/… if you feel unwell.
- Get medical advice/attention.
- Rinse mouth.
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Ethidium Bromide in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Ethidium Bromide health hazards and exposure limits
Ethidium Bromide hazard summary
A skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant; [ICSC] May cause irritation; Toxic by ingestion; Highly toxic by inhalation; Mutagenic effects observed in vitro; [Sigma-Aldrich MSDS] See Propidium iodide.
Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Ethidium Bromide 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.
Ethidium Bromide melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | 261 °C (501.8 °F) | range, midpoint shown | HSDB |
| 239 °C (462.2 °F) | range, midpoint shown | ICSC |
Ethidium Bromide density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.34 g/cm³ | ICSC |
Ethidium Bromide solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Solubility in 2-methoxyethanol is 20 mg/mL; ethanol, 2 mg/mL | HSDB | |
| Soluble in 750 parts chloroform at 20 °C | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| Soluble in 20 parts water at 20 °C | at 20 °C | HSDB |
Ethidium Bromide vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 1.2e-12 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
| Vapor pressure at 25 °C: negligible | at 25 °C | ICSC |
Ethidium Bromide flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 100 °C (212 °F) | above this value | ICSC |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Handling and storage
Ethidium Bromide storage and handling
Ethidium Bromide safe storage
Fireproof. Separated from strong oxidants and food and feedstuffs.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Ethidium Bromide storage conditions
Ethidium bromide should be handled in the laboratory using the "basic prudent practices" described in Chapter 5.C. Because of its mutagenicity, stock solutions of this compound should be prepared in a fume hood, and protective gloves should be worn at all times while handling this substance. Operations capable of generating ethidium bromide dust or aerosols of ethidium bromide solutions should be conducted in a fume hood to prevent exposure by inhalation.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Ethidium Bromide in the storage compatibility matrix →
10 · Questions
Ethidium Bromide — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Ethidium Bromide?
The CAS number of Ethidium Bromide is 1239-45-8. Its EC number is 214-984-6.
What does a Ethidium Bromide label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Ethidium Bromide carries the pictograms Skull and crossbones and Health hazard and the signal word is Danger.
Is Ethidium Bromide flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns Ethidium Bromide 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), above this value (ICSC).
Is Ethidium Bromide a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Ethidium Bromide. 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 melting point of Ethidium Bromide?
The melting point reported for Ethidium Bromide is 261 °C (501.8 °F), range, midpoint shown (HSDB).
How should Ethidium Bromide be stored?
Ethidium bromide should be handled in the laboratory using the "basic prudent practices" described in Chapter 5.C. Because of its mutagenicity, stock solutions of this compound should be prepared in a fume hood, and protective gloves should be worn at all times while handling this substance. Operations capable of generating ethidium bromide dust or aerosols of ethidium bromide solutions should be conducted in a fume hood to prevent exposure by inhalation. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to Ethidium Bromide
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