Substance profile
Peracetic Acid
Peracetic Acid is a colorless liquid with an acrid odor.
01 · Identification
What Peracetic Acid is
Peracetic Acid is a colorless liquid with an acrid odor. Its molecular formula is C2H4O3 and its molecular weight is 76.05 g/mol. It boils at 110 °C, melts at -0.2 °C, is very soluble in water.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as corrosives.
02 · Identifiers
Peracetic Acid identifiers and molecular data
Peracetic Acid CAS number and EC number
Peracetic Acid molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Peracetic Acid
- peracetic acid . . . %
03 · GHS classification
Peracetic Acid hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Peracetic Acid pictograms and signal word
Peracetic Acid hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic peroxides or Self-reactive substances and mixtures | Category Type C and D or Type E and F | H242 | GHS02 |
| Acute toxicity - oral GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 3 | H301 | GHS06 |
| Acute toxicity - dermal GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 1 or 2 | H310 | GHS06 |
| Acute toxicity - inhalation GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 1 or 2 | H330 | GHS06 |
| Skin corrosion/irritation GHS chapter 3.2 | Category 1A or 1B or 1C | H314 | GHS05 |
| 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 |
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.
Peracetic Acid hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H242 | Heating may cause a fire. |
| H330 | Fatal if inhaled. |
| H310 | Fatal in contact with skin. |
| H301 | Toxic if swallowed. |
| H314 | Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life. |
| H410 | Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. |
Peracetic Acid supplemental EU statements (EUH)
| Code | Statement |
|---|---|
| EUH071 | Corrosive to the respiratory tract. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Peracetic 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 Peracetic Acid
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 Peracetic Acid 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
Peracetic Acid precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 14 precautionary statements to Peracetic 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.
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
Peracetic 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 | пероцетна киселина ... % |
| Spanish español | Ácido paracético ... % |
| Czech čeština | peroxyoctová kyselina … % |
| Danish dansk | pereddikesyre ... % |
| German Deutsch | Peressigsäure... % |
| Estonian eesti | peräädikhape … % |
| Greek ελληνικά | υπεροξικό οξύ … % |
| English English | peracetic acid … % |
| French français | acide peracétique à … % |
| Croatian hrvatski | peroctena kiselina ... % |
| Italian italiano | acido peracetico ... % |
| Latvian latviešu | peroksietiķskābe, ... % |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | … % peroksiacto rūgštis |
| Hungarian magyar | perecetsav … % |
| Maltese Malti | aċidu peraċetiku … % |
| Dutch Nederlands | perazijnzuur… % |
| Polish polski | kwas nadoctowy … % |
| Portuguese português | ácido peracético a … % |
| Romanian română | acid peracetic … % |
| Slovak slovenčina | kyselina peroxyoctová … % |
| Slovenian slovenščina | perocetna kislina ... % |
| Finnish suomi | peretikkahappo … % |
| Swedish svenska | perättiksyra ... % |
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
Peracetic Acid GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Peracetic Acid, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Peracetic Acid
- Heating may cause a fire.
- Fatal if inhaled.
- Fatal in contact with skin.
- Toxic if swallowed.
- Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
- Very toxic to aquatic life.
- Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
- Corrosive to the respiratory tract.
- 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.
- Avoid release to the environment.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF SWALLOWED:
- IF ON SKIN:
- IF INHALED:
- Immediately call a POISON CENTER/doctor/…
- Rinse mouth.
- Do NOT induce vomiting.
- 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 Peracetic Acid in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Peracetic Acid health hazards and exposure limits
Peracetic Acid occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IDLH | 0.64 ppm (1.7 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
Peracetic 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.
Peracetic Acid boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 110 °C (230 °F) | HSDB | |
| 105 °C (221 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO | |
| 105 °C (221 °F) | OSHA |
Peracetic Acid melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | -0.2 °C (31.6 °F) | HSDB | |
| 0 °C (32 °F) | ICSC |
Peracetic Acid density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.2 g/cm³ | ICSC | |
| 1.226 g/cm³ | at 15 °C | HSDB |
Peracetic Acid solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Very soluble in ether, sulfuric acid; soluble in ethanol | HSDB | |
| Solubility in water: miscible | ICSC | ||
| Miscible with water /1.0X10+6 mg/L/ at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Peracetic Acid vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 19.5016 mmHg | at 20 °C | ICSC |
| 14.5 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Peracetic Acid flash point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash point | 40.56 °C (105 °F) | HSDB | |
| 40.5 °C (104.9 °F) | ICSC |
Peracetic Acid autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 200 °C (392 °F) | HSDB |
Peracetic Acid lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | Liquid will detonate if concn rises above 56% because of evaporation of acetic acid. | HSDB | |
| May explode if material exceeds 56% of carrier due to evaporation. | HSDB | ||
| Decomposes explosively at elevated temperatures. | decomposes | HSDB |
Peracetic Acid vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 2.6 (air = 1) | ICSC |
Peracetic Acid corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | Corrosive to most metals, including aluminum | HSDB | |
| Highly corrosive | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Peracetic 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.
Peracetic Acid fire potential
Flammable liquid.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Peracetic Acid storage and handling
Peracetic Acid safe storage
Fireproof. Provision to contain effluent from fire extinguishing. Separated from combustible substances and incompatible materials. See Chemical Dangers. Cool. Store only if stabilized. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Peracetic Acid storage conditions
Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location. Separate from acids, alkalies, organic materials, heavy metals. Normally kept refrigerated outside or detached storage is preferred. /Peracetic acid (less than 40%)/
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Peracetic Acid incompatible materials
Explosive reaction with acetic anhydride; 5-p-chlorophenyl-2,2-dimethyl-3-hexanone. Violent reaction with ether solvents (e.g., tetrahydrofuran; diethyl ether); metal chloride solutions (e.g., calcium chloride; potassium chloride; sodium chloride); olefins; organic matter.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Peracetic Acid reactivity
Self-reactive. Peracids should be handled only in small quantities and with extreme care when pure or very concentrated. Organic peracids, such as peracetic acid, are so unstable that they may explode during distillation, even under reduced pressure [NFPA 1991].
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Peracetic Acid in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Questions
Peracetic Acid — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Peracetic Acid?
The CAS number of Peracetic Acid is 79-21-0. Its EC number is 201-186-8.
What is the chemical formula of Peracetic Acid?
The molecular formula of Peracetic Acid is C2H4O3 and its molecular weight is 76.05 g/mol.
What does a Peracetic Acid label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Peracetic Acid carries the pictograms Flame, Skull and crossbones, Corrosion and Environment and the signal word is Danger.
Is Peracetic Acid flammable?
Yes. CLP Annex VI assigns Peracetic Acid H242 — heating may cause a fire. The flash point reported for it is 40.56 °C (105 °F) (HSDB).
Is Peracetic Acid a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Peracetic 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 Peracetic Acid?
The boiling point reported for Peracetic Acid is 110 °C (230 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Peracetic Acid?
The melting point reported for Peracetic Acid is -0.2 °C (31.6 °F) (HSDB).
How should Peracetic Acid be stored?
Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location. Separate from acids, alkalies, organic materials, heavy metals. Normally kept refrigerated outside or detached storage is preferred. /Peracetic acid (less than 40%)/ (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to Peracetic Acid
Keep going: substances starting with P, or search the whole database by name, CAS number, pictogram or signal word.