Ethylene |
Last updated: 18/07/2024
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(Also known as: ethylene gas; olefiant gas; ethene) |
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement.
Environmental fate |
Ecotoxicity |
Human health |
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A gaseous post-harvest plant growth regulator used to promote fruit ripening and potatoes sprouting |
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growth |
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Crop protection; Yield enhancement |
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- |
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- |
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Current |
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- |
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- |
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414) |
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Approved |
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Netherlands/Spain |
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30/11/2026 |
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No |
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Yes |
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ATAustria |
BEBelgium |
BGBulgaria |
CYCyprus |
CZCzech Republic |
DEGermany |
DKDenmark |
EEEstonia |
ELGreece |
✓ |
✓ |
  |
  |
✓ |
✓ |
  |
✓ |
  |
ESSpain |
FIFinland |
FRFrance |
HRCroatia |
HUHungary |
IEIreland |
ITItaly |
LTLithuania |
LULuxembourg |
✓ |
  |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
  |
LVLatvia |
MTMalta |
NLNetherlands |
PLPoland |
PTPortugal |
RORomania |
SESweden |
SISlovenia |
SKSlovakia |
✓ |
  |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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ISIceland |
NONorway |
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✓ |
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  |
  |
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  |
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- |
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C₂H₄ |
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C=C |
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No data |
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VGGSQFUCUMXWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
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InChI=1S/C2H4/c1-2/h1-2H2 |
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Yes |
Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams |
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Common Name |
Relationship |
Link |
ethylene |
- |
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Plant Growth Regulator |
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Fumigant PGR |
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99% |
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EU dossier - none declared |
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Natural |
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A 'ripening hormone' that plays a regulatory role in many processes of plant growth, development and eventually death. |
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Ethylene is ubiquitous is the environment being released by both natural (e.g. vegetation, micro-organisms) and man-made sources (e.g. fuel combustion) |
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Manufactered for commercial use eitehr by heating natural gas or petroleum |
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Crop protection; Yield enhancement |
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- |
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Fruit; Potatoes |
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- |
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74-85-1 |
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200-815-3 |
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839 |
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041901 |
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- |
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28.05 |
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- |
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Ethylene |
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Ethylene |
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- |
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- |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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- |
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Colourless gas |
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Ethylene gas |
Nova chemicals |
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Usually supplied as a compressed gas or as a gas generator that works via catalytic action on ethanol |
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131 |
at 25 °C |
Moderate |
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- |
- |
- |
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-169 |
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- |
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104 |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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-136 |
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source |
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1.35 X 1001 |
Calculated |
- |
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1.13 |
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Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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0.975 |
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
- |
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6.95 X 1008 |
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Highly volatile. If applied directly to plants or soil, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable |
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23102 |
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Volatile |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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Max @ 162nm |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below. |
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- |
Soil adsorption and mobility |
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None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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60.0 |
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source Eisenia foetida |
Moderate |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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85 |
Lepomis macrochirus |
Moderate |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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53 |
Daphnia magna |
Moderate |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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40 |
Selenastrum capricornutum |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
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HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION |
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Low (class I) |
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- |
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- |
- |
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> 12.52 |
Rat 5 hr |
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- |
- |
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None allocated |
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None allocated |
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- |
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Not applicable |
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None allocated |
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- |
- |
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- |
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Carcinogen |
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Endocrine disruptor |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; E0 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 0 = No data |
No data found |
Reproduction / development effects |
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor |
Neurotoxicant |
No data found |
No data found |
No data found |
Respiratory tract irritant |
Skin irritant |
Skin sensitiser |
No data found |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
Eye irritant |
Phototoxicant |
  |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
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Possible liver toxicant |
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Extremely flammable Explosive limits in air 2.7-36% @ 25 DegC Not oxidising IMDG Transport Hazard Class 2.1 |
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Health: H336 Handling: H220 |
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Not listed (Not listed) |
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UN1962 |
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ethylene |
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- |
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Athylen |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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etylen |
Record last updated: |
18/07/2024 |
Contact: |
aeru@herts.ac.uk |
Please cite as: |
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242 |