Acetic acid, methyl ester

RTECS #

AI9100000

CAS #

79-20-9
See: NMAM or OSHA Methods

Updated

September 2013

Molecular Weight

74.09

Molecular Formula

C₃H₆O₂

Synonyms

Acetate de methyle (French)
Devoton
Ethyl ester of monoacetic acid
Methyl acetate
Methyl acetate (ACGIH:OSHA)
Methyl ethanoate
Methylacetaat (Dutch)
Methylacetat (German)
Methyle (acetate de) (French)
Methylester kiseliny octove (Czech)
Metile (acetato di) (Italian)
Octan metylu (Polish)
Tereton

Skin and Eye Irritation and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
eye /rabbit	100 mg/24H	moderate	85JCAE -,353,1986
skin /rabbit	500 mg/24H	mild	FCTXAV 17,859,1979
skin /rabbit	20 mg/24H	moderate	85JCAE -,353,1986

Mutation Data and Reference

System Test	Route/Organism/Tissue	Dose	Reference
sex chromosome loss and nondisjunction	/Saccharomyes cerevisiae	33800 ppm	MUREAV 149,339,1985

Acute Toxicity Data and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
inhalation/cat	Lowest published lethal concentration: 67 gm/m³/1H	Eye: Lacrimation Behavioral: Convulsions or effect on seizure threshold Gastrointestinal: Changes in structure or function of salivary glands	AGGHAR 5,1,1933
inhalation/human	lowest published toxic concentration: 15000 mg/m³	Eye: Lacrimation Lung, Thorax, or Respiration: Cough Lung, Thorax, or Respiration: Other changes	AGGHAR 5,1,1933
inhalation/mouse	Lowest published lethal concentration: 34 gm/m³/4H	Behavioral: General anesthetic	AGGHAR 5,1,1933
inhalation/rat	Lowest published lethal concentration: 32000 ppm/4H		AIHAAP 23,95,1962
intraduodenal/rabbit	lethal dose (50 percent kill): 3700 mg/kg		FCTXAV 17,859,1979
oral/rabbit	lethal dose (50 percent kill): 3705 mg/kg		IMSUAI 41,31,1972
oral/rat	lethal dose (50 percent kill): >5 gm/kg		FCTXAV 17,859,1979
skin/guinea pig	lethal dose (50 percent kill): >20 mL/kg		NTIS** OTS0556681
skin/rabbit	lethal dose (50 percent kill): >5 gm/kg		FCTXAV 17,859,1979
subcutaneous/cat	lowest published lethal dose: 3 gm/kg	Behavioral: Somnolence (general depressed activity) Behavioral: Ataxia Lung, Thorax, or Respiration: Respiratory depression	AGGHAR 5,1,1933
subcutaneous/guinea pig	lowest published lethal dose: 3 gm/kg		AGGHAR 5,1,1933
subcutaneous/rat	lowest published lethal dose: 8 gm/kg		BSIBAC 18,45,1943
unreported route/mammal (species unspecified)	lethal dose (50 percent kill): 214 mg/kg		GISAAA 33(8),107,1968

Other Multiple Dose Data and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
inhalation/Dog	lowest published toxic concentration: 28 gm/m³/40M/4W- intermittent	Behavioral: Ataxia Lung, Thorax, or Respiration: Respiratory stimulation Nutritional and Gross Metabolic: Body temperature decrease	NTIS** OTS0572401

Reviews

Organization	Standard	Reference
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)	Threshold Limit Value-time-weighted average 200 ppm;short term exposure limit 250 ppm	DTLVS* TLV/BEI,2013
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		AMIHAB 21,28,1960
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		HUTOX* -,577,1996
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		HUTOX* -,649,1996

Standards and Regulations

Organization	Standard	Reference
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) STANDARD-air	time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³)	DTLVS* 3,153,1971
Occupational Exposure Limit IN ARGENTINA, BULGARIA, COLOMBIA, JORDAN check ACGIH TLV;
Occupational Exposure Limit IN SINGAPORE, VIETNAM check ACGIH TLV
Occupational Exposure Limit-AUSTRALIA	time-weighted average 200 ppm (606 mg/m³), short term exposure limit 250 ppm (757 mg/m³), JUL2008
Occupational Exposure Limit-AUSTRIA	MAK-TMW 200 ppm (610 mg/m³);KZW 400 ppm (1220 mg/m³), 2007
Occupational Exposure Limit-BELGIUM	time-weighted average 200 ppm(615 mg/m³), short term exposure limit 250 ppm(768 mg/m³), MAR2002
Occupational Exposure Limit-DENMARK	time-weighted average 150 ppm (455 mg/m³), MAY2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-FINLAND	time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³), short term exposure limit 250 ppm (770 mg/m³), NOV2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-FRANCE	VME 200 ppm (610 mg/m³), VLE 250 ppm (760 mg/m³), FEB2006
Occupational Exposure Limit-GERMANY	MAK 100 ppm (310 mg/m³), 2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-HUNGARY	time-weighted average 610 mg/m³, short term exposure limit 2440 mg/m³, Skin, SEP2000
Occupational Exposure Limit-ICELAND	time-weighted average 150 ppm (455 mg/m³), NOV2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-JAPAN	Occupational Exposure Limit 200 ppm (610 mg/m³), MAY2012
Occupational Exposure Limit-KOREA	time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³), short term exposure limit 250 ppm (760 mg/m³), 2006
Occupational Exposure Limit-MEXICO	time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³);short term exposure limit 250 ppm (760 mg/m³), 2004
Occupational Exposure Limit-NEW ZEALAND	time-weighted average 200 ppm (606 mg/m³); short term exposure limit 250 ppm (757 mg/m³), JAN2002
Occupational Exposure Limit-NORWAY	time-weighted average 100 ppm (305 mg/m³), JAN1999
Occupational Exposure Limit-PERU	time-weighted average 200 ppm (638 mg/m³); short term exposure limit 250 ppm (798 mg/m³), JUL2005
Occupational Exposure Limit-POLAND	MAC(time-weighted average) 100 mg/m³, MAC(short term exposure limit) 750 mg/m³, JAN1999
Occupational Exposure Limit-RUSSIA	short term exposure limit 100 mg/m³, JUN2003
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWEDEN	time-weighted average 150 ppm (450 mg/m³);short term exposure limit 300 ppm (900 mg/m³), JUN2005
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWITZERLAND	MAK-week 100 ppm (310 mg/m³), KZG-week 400 ppm (1240 mg/m³), JAN2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-THE NETHERLANDS	MAC-TGG 610 mg/m³, 2003
Occupational Exposure Limit-THE PHILIPPINES	time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³), JAN1993
Occupational Exposure Limit-TURKEY	time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³), JAN1993
Occupational Exposure Limit-UNITED KINGDOM	time-weighted average 200 ppm (616 mg/m³);short term exposure limit 250 ppm (770 mg/m³), OCT2007
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (Construction)	8H time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³)	CFRGBR 29,1926.55,1994
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (Federal Contractors)	8H time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³)	CFRGBR 41,50-204.50,1994
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (General Industry)	8H time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³)	CFRGBR 29,1910.1000,1994
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (Shipyards)	8H time-weighted average 200 ppm (610 mg/m³)	CFRGBR 29,1915.1000,1993

NIOSH Documentation and Surveillance

Organization	Standard	Reference
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Level TO METHYL ACETATE-air	10H time-weighted average 200 ppm;short term exposure limit 250 ppm	NIOSH* DHHS #92-100,1992
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code 46410; Number of Industries 15; Total Number of Facilities 387; Number of Occupations 31; Total Number of Employees Exposed 20455; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 6018
National Occupational Hazard Survey 1974	Hazard Code 46410; Number of Industries 26; Total Number of Facilities 1604; Number of Occupations 22; Total Number of Employees Exposed 5611

Status in Federal Agencies

Organization	Reference
EPA TSCA Section 8(b) CHEMICAL INVENTORY
EPA TSCA Section 8(d) unpublished health/safety studies
EPA TSCA TEST SUBMISSION (TSCATS) DATA BASE, JANUARY 2001
NIOSH Analytical Method, 1994: Methyl acetate, 1458
On EPA IRIS database

Page last reviewed: November 16, 2018

Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health