Ethanol

Ethanol	Last updated: 24/10/2024
(Also known as: absolute alcohol; hydroxyethane ; grain alcohol; ethyl hydrate; methylcarbinol; ethyl alcohol)

SUMMARY

Data alerts

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
Environmental fate High alert: Drainflow: Very mobile	Ecotoxicity Low alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: Low; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: Low Warning: Significant data are missing	Human health High alert: Reproduction/development effects; Neurotoxicant

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

Substance used, post-harvest, as a catalytic generator for the production of ethylene gas for fruit ripening. It has bactericidal activity and is used often as a topical disinfectant.

Availability status

Current

Introduction & key dates

UK regulatory status

UK COPR regulatory status

Not approved

Date COPR inclusion expires

Not applicable

UK LERAP status

Not applicable

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status

Not approved

Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur

Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires

Not applicable

EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)

Not appliable

Listed in EU database

Yes

Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States

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

Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 by Mutual Recognition of Authorisation and/or national regulations in the following EEA countries

ISIceland	NONorway

Additional information

Also used in

Chemical structure

Isomerism

None

Chemical formula

C₂H₅OH

Canonical SMILES

CCO

Isomeric SMILES

No data

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

InChI=1S/C2H6O/c1-2-3/h3H,2H2,1H3

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

General status

Pesticide type

Metabolite, Other substance, Plant Growth Regulator precursor, Insecticide

Metabolite Type

Soil, Groundwater

Other bioactivity & uses

Gas generator, Preservative, Additive, Biocide, Embalming fluid, Disinfectant, Algicide

Substance groups

Aliphatic alcohol

Minimum active substance purity

950 g kg⁻¹

Known relevant impurities

EU dossier - None declared

Substance origin

Synthetic

Mode of action

Chemical reaction

CAS RN

64-17-5

EC number

200-578-6

CIPAC number

None

US EPA chemical code

001501

PubChem CID

CLP index number

603-002-00-5

Molecular mass

46.07

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

IUPAC name

ethanol

CAS name

ethyl alcohol

Other status information

EC 2232/96 Annex 1 registered as food flavouring agent, UK registered Commodity Substance

Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards

Herbicide Resistance Class (HRAC MoA class)

Not applicable

Herbicide Resistance Class (WSSA MoA class)

Not applicable

Insecticide Resistance Class (IRAC MoA class)

UNM

Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)

Not applicable

Examples of recorded resistance

Physical state

Clear colourless liquid

Can be a metabolite of:

Parent

Formation medium

Estimated maximum occurrence fraction

1107/2009 relevancy

fosetyl-aluminium

Soil

0.780

Major fraction

Formulations

Property

Value

Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically

Catalytic Generators UK

Example products using this active

Ethy-Gen

Formulation and application details

Not applied directly to the crop. Usually used via immersion in a tank enclosed in a fume cupboard

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

Miscible

Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

Miscible

Acetone

Miscible

Ethyl acetate

Miscible

Benzene

Miscible

Methanol

Melting point (°C)

-115

Boiling point (°C)

78.3

Degradation point (°C)

Flashpoint (°C)

Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C

4.90 X 10^-01

Calculated

Log P

-0.31

Low

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Data type

Density (g ml⁻¹)

0.79

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

15.9

Strong base

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

7.87 X 10⁰⁶

Highly volatile. If applied directly to plants or soil, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable

Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)

5.2 X 10^-06

Non-volatile

Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost

From plant surface

From soil surface

Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹

210nm = 0.5, 220nm = 0.25, 230nm = 0.10, 250nm = 0.03, 270nm = 0.005

Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)

22.75

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

General biodegradability

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

0.11

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

0.11

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (field)

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

0.43

Non-persistent

DT₉₀ (field)

DT₅₀ modelling endpoint

Note

EU 2017 Dossier DT₅₀ range 0.07-0.144 days, DT₉₀ range 0.2-0.58 days, Soils=6

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix

Value

Note

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix

Value

Note

Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7

Value

Note

Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7

Value

Note

Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)

Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)

Air degradation

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.

Decay in stored produce DT₅₀

Soil adsorption and mobility

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Linear

K_d (mL g⁻¹)

Very mobile

K_oc (mL g⁻¹)

1.0

Notes and range

Estimated

Freundlich

K_f (mL g⁻¹)

K_foc (mL g⁻¹)

¹/_n

Notes and range

pH sensitivity

Fate indices

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

GUS leaching potential index

-3.83

Calculated

Low leachability

SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate

Value

7.67 X 10^-04

Calculated

Note

Potential for particle bound transport index

Low

Calculated

Potential for loss via drain flow

Very mobile

Calculated

Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk

Bio-concentration factor

BCF (l kg⁻¹)

CT₅₀ (days)

Known metabolites

None

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 6000

Rat

Low

Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL

(mg kg⁻¹)

(ppm diet)

Mammals - Chronic 21d NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

> 2400

Rat

Low

Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)

Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg⁻¹)

Soil micro-organisms

Collembola

Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)

Non-target plants

Honeybees (Apis spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Chronic

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Mason bees (Osmia spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Other bee species (1)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Other bee species (2)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Beneficial insects (Ladybirds)

Beneficial insects (Lacewings)

Beneficial insects (Parasitic wasps)

Beneficial insects (Predatory mites)

Beneficial insects (Ground beetles)

Aquatic ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Temperate Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

13200

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Low

Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

12340

Daphnia magna

Low

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

Tropical Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

25100

Chironomus tentans 48 hr

Low

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, static, water (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, sediment (mg kg⁻¹)

Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)

4816

Lemna gibba

Low

Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)

Selenastrum capricornutum 120 hr

Low

Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)

Mesocosm study data

NOEAEC mg l⁻¹

HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION

General

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Threshold of Toxicological Concern (Cramer Class)

Low (class I)

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 6000

Rat

Low

Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)

20000

Rat

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Rat 4 hr

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

None allocated

ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

None allocated

AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

None allocated

Dermal penetration studies (%)

100

default

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

Exposure Routes

Public

Exposure unlikely for authorised applications

Occupational

Not thought to be a significant risk for operators or other workers

MRLs

European

EU MRL pesticide database

Great Britain

GB MRL Register

Notes

Drinking Water Standards

Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)

Mammalian dose elimination route and rate

Health issues

Specific human health issues

Carcinogen

Genotoxic

Endocrine disruptor

; ; ; ;

Reproduction / development effects

Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor

Neurotoxicant

No data found

Respiratory tract irritant

Skin irritant

Skin sensitiser

No data found

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

No data found

General human health issues

Liver and kidney toxicant
CNS depressant

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

Highly flammable
Not explosive or oxidising
Hygroscopic
IMDG Transport Hazard Class 3

CLP classification 2013

WHO Classification

Not listed (Not listed)

UN Number

UN1170

Waste disposal & packaging

Packaging Group II (moderate danger)

Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

ethanol

French

alcool ethylique

German

Aethylalkohol

Danish

Italian

alcool etilico

Spanish

Greek

Polish

alkoholu etylowego

Swedish

Hungarian

Dutch

ethylalcohol

Norwegian

Record last updated:	24/10/2024
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