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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.
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Diss Factsheets
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EC number: 200-579-1 | CAS number: 64-18-6
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data
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Toxicological Summary
- Administrative data
- Workers - Hazard via inhalation route
- Workers - Hazard via dermal route
- Workers - Hazard for the eyes
- Additional information - workers
- General Population - Hazard via inhalation route
- General Population - Hazard via dermal route
- General Population - Hazard via oral route
- General Population - Hazard for the eyes
- Additional information - General Population
Administrative data
Workers - Hazard via inhalation route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- other toxicological threshold
- Value:
- 9.5 mg/m³
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- medium hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- DNEL (Derived No Effect Level)
- Value:
- 9.5 mg/m³
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- medium hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
DNEL related information
Workers - Hazard via dermal route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
Workers - Hazard for the eyes
Local effects
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Additional information - workers
Formic acid is classified as being highly corrosive to the skin (EC 1272/2008: Skin Corrosion 1A: H314; ECB ESIS: R35). According to the REACH regulation this precludes testing for the following endpoints
- Skin irritation (Annex VII; No. 8.1, column 2; Annex VIII; No. 8.1.1, column 2)
- eye irritation (Annex VII; No. 8.2, column 2; Annex VIII; No. 8.2.1, column 2)
- sensitisation (Annex VII; No. 8.3, column 2)
- acute toxicity (Annex VII; No. 8.5, column 2; Annex VIII; No. 8.5, column 2)
- Repeated dose testing by oral and dermal exposure is technically not possible (Annex XI Section 2). Reasons:
o The substance is corrosive in the dose range of interest for the study.
o Also, for reasons of animal welfare such studies should be avoided.
Thus, formic acid cannot be used as test substance whenever repeated doses are required. Alternatively, formate salts may be tested to examine systemic toxicity. Consequences regarding DNELs for formic acid itself are as follows:
1) Local effects prevail over systemic effects
2) Dermal DNEL:
The classification concentration limits set for skin corrosion may be used as qualitative information.
Index No |
International Chemical Identification |
EC No |
CAS No |
Classification |
Labelling |
Concentration Limits |
Notes |
607-001-00-0 |
formic acid … % |
200-579-1 |
64-18-6 |
C; R35 |
C R: 35 S: (1/2-)23-26-45 |
C; R35: C≥90 % C; R34: 10 %≤C < 90 % Xi; R36/38: 2 %≤C < 10 %
|
B |
3) Oral DNEL, consumer exposure
The classification concentration limits set for skin corrosion may be used as qualitative information.
4) Inhalation DNEL, worker
There is an EU Indicative Occupational Exposure Limit (IOEL) of 5 ppm (9 mg/m³; STEL: 9 mg/m³) published in the regulation 2006/15/EC that may be used directly for the inhalation DNEL,workers. As the IOEL is based on irritating properties, there is no additional factor for a short term exposure.
National German formic acid OELs are as follows:
- Binding Federal AGW: 5 ppm (9.5 mg/m³; STEL: factor 2). OEL set in 01/2006. Reference: TRGS 900 (02 July 2009)
- MAK-value: 5 ppm (9.5 mg/m³; STEL: factor 2). Reference: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (2006) MAK- und BAT-Werte-Liste 2009. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. A document on the delineation of the MAK-value is publicly accessible. Reference: H.Greim, ed. (2003) Occupational Medicine 19, 169-180.
The pungent odor of formic acid is a warning sign that indicates exposure to formic acid and prevents extended exposure periods or exposure towards irritating concentrations. It can be reasonably assumed that the inhalation DNELs for local effects do also protect against systemic effects.
General Population - Hazard via inhalation route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- other toxicological threshold
- Value:
- 3 mg/m³
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- medium hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- DNEL (Derived No Effect Level)
- Value:
- 3 mg/m³
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- medium hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- irritation (respiratory tract)
DNEL related information
General Population - Hazard via dermal route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
DNEL related information
Local effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
- Most sensitive endpoint:
- skin irritation/corrosion
General Population - Hazard via oral route
Systemic effects
Long term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- low hazard (no threshold derived)
Acute/short term exposure
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- low hazard (no threshold derived)
DNEL related information
General Population - Hazard for the eyes
Local effects
- Hazard assessment conclusion:
- high hazard (no threshold derived)
Additional information - General Population
Formic acid is classified as being highly corrosive to the skin (EC 1272/2008: Skin Corrosion 1A: H314; ECB ESIS: R35). According to the REACH regulation this precludes testing for the following endpoints
- Skin irritation (Annex VII; No. 8.1, column 2; Annex VIII; No. 8.1.1, column 2)
- eye irritation (Annex VII; No. 8.2, column 2; Annex VIII; No. 8.2.1, column 2)
- sensitisation (Annex VII; No. 8.3, column 2)
- acute toxicity (Annex VII; No. 8.5, column 2; Annex VIII; No. 8.5, column 2)
- Repeated dose testing by oral and dermal exposure is technically not possible (Annex XI Section 2). Reasons:
o The substance is corrosive in the dose range of interest for the study.
o Also, for reasons of animal welfare such studies should be avoided.
Thus, formic acid cannot be used as test substance whenever repeated doses are required. Alternatively, formate salts may be tested to examine systemic toxicity. Consequences regarding DNELs for formic acid itself are as follows:
1) Local effects prevail over systemic effects
2) Dermal DNEL:
The classification concentration limits set for skin corrosion may be used as qualitative information.
Index No |
International Chemical Identification |
EC No |
CAS No |
Classification |
Labelling |
Concentration Limits |
Notes |
607-001-00-0 |
formic acid … % |
200-579-1 |
64-18-6 |
C; R35 |
C R: 35 S: (1/2-)23-26-45 |
C; R35: C≥90 % C; R34: 10 %≤C < 90 % Xi; R36/38: 2 %≤C < 10 %
|
B |
3) Oral DNEL, consumer exposure
The classification concentration limits set for skin corrosion may be used as qualitative information.
4) Inhalation DNEL, worker and consumer
There is an EU Indicative Occupational Exposure Limit (IOEL) of 5 ppm (9 mg/m³; STEL: 9 mg/m³) published in the regulation 2006/15/EC that may be used directly for workers. The IOEL is based on the irritating properties. Therefore, this concentration can also be used for consumers without corrections for differences regarding exposure period and respiration volumes between workers and consumers. However, an assesment factor of 3 (AF=3) should be applied in order to account for sensitive consumer subpopulations and possible continuous exposure. Therefore, the inhalation DNEL, consumer is set at 3 mg/m³. The pungent odor of formic acid is a warning sign that indicates exposure to formic acid and prevents extended exposure periods or exposure towards irritating concentrations.
It can be reasonably assumed that the inhalation DNELs for local effects do also protect against systemic effects.
Information on Registered Substances comes from registration dossiers which have been assigned a registration number. The assignment of a registration number does however not guarantee that the information in the dossier is correct or that the dossier is compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the REACH Regulation). This information has not been reviewed or verified by the Agency or any other authority. The content is subject to change without prior notice.
Reproduction or further distribution of this information may be subject to copyright protection. Use of the information without obtaining the permission from the owner(s) of the respective information might violate the rights of the owner.
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