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EC number: 203-481-7 | CAS number: 107-31-3
- 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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Short-term toxicity to fish
Administrative data
Link to relevant study record(s)
Description of key information
The parent compound methyl formate along with its hydrolysis products formic acid and methanol are with high probability acutely not harmful to fish.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Fresh water fish
Fresh water fish
- Dose descriptor:
- LC50
- Remarks:
- Methyl formate (CAS 107-31-3)
- Effect concentration:
- 115 mg/L
Fresh water fish
- Dose descriptor:
- LC50
- Remarks:
- Hydrolysis product formic acid (CAS 64-18-6)
- Effect concentration:
- 130 mg/L
Fresh water fish
- Dose descriptor:
- LC50
- Remarks:
- Hydrolysis product methanol (CAS 67-56-1)
- Effect concentration:
- 15 400 mg/L
Marine water fish
Marine water fish
- Dose descriptor:
- LC50
- Remarks:
- Hydrolysis product formic acid (CAS 64-18-6)
- Effect concentration:
- 1 700 mg/L
Additional information
Parent compound (CAS 107-31-3)
As determined in a static acute toxicity test following the German Industrial Standard DIN 38 412 part 15 using Leuciscus idus as test species the LC50 (96h) is estimated to be 115 mg/L, related to the nominal concentrations (BASF AG, 1989, rep. no.: 10F0797/88506, 1989).
Moreover, according to the available hydrolysis study for the substance, Methyl formates' susceptibility to hydrolysis increases with pH as well as with temperature. The hydrolysis half-life ranges from 410 h at pH 4 and 20 °C to less than 1 hour at pH 9 and 25 °C (OECD 111, BASF SE, 2010). Therefore, it can be concluded, that under environmentally relevant conditions (pH 7-9) the rapid hydrolysis will be the major fate process of the methyl formate due to the short half-life in aqueous solution. Therefore, this estimate may be of low relevance. Thus, the assessment of the short-term toxicity of the substance is also based on the available experimental data for the hydrolytic products: formic acid and methanol.
Hydrolysis product formic acid (CAS 64-18-6):
In a GLP guideline study according to OECD TG 203 using Danio rerio as test organism an LC50 (96h) of 130 mg/L was determined, related to the analytically verified nominal concentrations of ammonium formate (Fraunhofer, 2005, KEM-001/4-11).
Moreover, following a national British guideline using the marine species Scophthalmus maximus (turbot)) a GLP study was conducted with potassium formate. After 96 hours of exposure, a LC50 of 1700 mg/L was estimated, related to the nominal concentrations (Huntington, 1992, SLL 217(I)/920037).
The ammonium formate as well as the potassium formate are salts of the hydrolysis product formic acid. Formic acid changes the pH of the test solutions towards acidic conditions. When using ammonium and potassium salts as test substances, the pH is not affected. Therefore, both substances are suitable to investigate the sensitivity of fish towards formic acid under pH-neutralised conditions.
Hydrolysis product methanol (CAS 67-56-1):
In the key study conducted under flow-through conditions with Lepomis macrochirus the 96 -h LC50 was 15400 mg/L based on analytically verified concentrations (Poirer, 1986).
Overall, based on the available experimental data it can be concluded, that the parent compound methyl formate along with its hydrolysis products formic acid and methanol are with high probability acutely not harmful to fish.
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.
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